Max Pacioretty knew he had crossed the great Maple Leafs-Canadiens divide when his kids saw him in a Toronto sweater for the first time.
“They said this is the best jersey that I look in so far,” Pacioretty said with a laugh as he prepared to face his old team wearing Blue and White for the first time when the Habs visit Thursday night. “They like that part of it. But looks aside, it’s really special for my family to be part of this.”
The 35-year-old left winger has his framed Montreal sweater with the captain’s ‘C’ at home, as well as similar collectables from Vegas, Carolina and Washington. He played in Montreal’s centennial season in 2017, where the club wore about eight different versions of le bleu, blanc et rouge.
“There are some special ones there, but given the history of the Leafs and the Original Six and the players who’ve come through here, this one will mean a lot. I have a cool collection, but I want the ultimate prize (the Stanley Cup) instead.”
Pacioretty chose to stick with number 67 in Toronto, which is considered too conspicuous by most Leafs for its connection to the embarrassing gap to the most recent year they won the Cup.
Back to full health from years of Achilles tendon woes, Pacioretty scored twice in his pre-season debut, his only game so far. Now he could play Montreal up to three times between Thursday, the rematch at the Bell Centre on Saturday and the Oct. 9 season opener there.
“It was definitely weird going back there at the beginning and getting booed by some fans then playing in the playoffs (with Vegas),” Pacioretty said. “I think it’s a cool rivalry though. I remember playing (Toronto) opening night and setting the tone to the season, good or bad. I haven’t played in a rivalry like this definitely since I’ve been gone from Montreal. The history of both teams, it’s such an honour, so that side of it doesn’t feel weird at all.
“I go back every summer, all my friends are there, I love the city, loved my time there, grew up there and started my family,” he said, adding “not many guys are left on the team since I was there.”
Pacioretty’s grandmother is from Quebec, which helped his transition at the time and he picked up some French along the way.
“I’ve lost it, but my kids started in a French language school there and it would’ve been nice if they could have continued that,” he said.
Pacioretty has been playing with fellow 30-something John Tavares in camp, though does not feel as a former captain the need to talk over Tavares or new skipper Auston Matthews.
“Best teams I’ve been on, there are 20 guys who will speak up on any given night. And everyone feels like they’re wearing a letter, whether it’s your first year or 15th. It’s the feeling I have with this group as well, a lot of guys are leaders or are vocal. You can tell right away it’s a strong group in that sense.”
Toronto coach Craig Berube’s plan to ice as close an opening-night lineup as possible in the remaining four exhibitions has been altered by a nagging injury to centre Matthews. He and forward Calle Jarnkrok (lower body) have been taking it easy, both working out alone for a while Thursday and Matthews with the game group later.
It was sure to be an important game for winger Easton Cowan, one of the few fringe players in Thursday’s lineup. The 2023 first-round pick is pointless through two starts, though optimistic to be on a projected line with fellow London Knights alumni Max Domi and Mitch Marner. He wants to “play free, keep my feet moving” rather than overthinking his next move.
Anthony Stolarz and Matt Murray are Toronto’s goalies. Lane Hutson. Montreal’s fine second-round pick defenceman, is in its lineup.
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