Golden Knights stay firmly in win-now mode by getting Max Pacioretty

After a run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, the Vegas Golden Knights have bolstered their offense by getting Max Pacioretty.

If a player ever needed a change of scenery, amid trade rumors and after a bad 2017-18 season (37 points in 64 games) it was probably Max Pacioretty. In the early morning hours on Monday, the Montreal Canadiens announced a trade sending him to the Vegas Golden Knights for forward Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki and a 2019 second-round pick.

Prior to last year, Pacioretty had at least 30 goals and 60 points in four straight seasons and five of the previous six campaigns. Over 10 seasons with the Canadiens, he had 226 goals and 222 assists with three All-Star selections.

The Golden Knights followed an excellent regular season with a run to the Stanley Cup Final last year. They were fifth in the league in goals scored (3.27 per game), and have now added Paul Stastny (16 goals and 53 points with the Winnipeg Jets last year) and Pacioretty to their forward depth.

Staying in win-now mode, as Pacioretty enters the final year of his contract, did not come without a price though. Tatar was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at last February’s trade deadline for three draft picks, including a first-rounder in this past June’s draft, and he only wound up playing 28 games (including the playoffs) for the Golden Knights. He also has at least 20 goals in four straight seasons. Suzuki was the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft, and is just 19 years old.

That being said, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin indicated Pacioretty will sign a long-term deal in Vegas.

Bergevin may have finally made a smart trade here. He got a prospect, a capable veteran center and an extra draft pick next year for Pacioretty, who was clearly on his way out as negotiations on a contract extension apparently never got off the ground.

But on the flip side, the ongoing aggressiveness of Vegas general George McPhee deserves note. The Golden Knights needed some reinforcements up front, and their second line will now be centered by Stastny with Pacioretty on his left wing.