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Connecticut: Taking it to the Max

New Canaan's Pacioretty inks deal with Canadiens.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

By Dave Stewart
MaxPreps.com

NEW CANAAN, Conn. - Max Pacioretty has always had a clear and determined eye focused on reaching the next level of ice hockey. Whether it was moving on from New Canaan High School to play at Taft as a junior, starring in the USHL in 2006, or having the opportunity to skate for the University of Michigan Wolverines, Pacioretty has handled each transition and challenge seemingly with ease.

The next move, however, made even the quick-climbing 19-year-old forward pause and reflect on what could be his future. Pacioretty moved one step closer to his dream of playing in the NHL when he inked a three-year entry level contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 17.

Joining one of athletics’ most storied franchises was almost to be good to be true.

“It’s definitely an honor, knowing the history of the Montreal Canadiens and the great players that have been through the organization,” he said. “It gave me a lot more motivation and made me think that I could one day sit in the same locker room as a lot of players who are in the Hall of Fame have been. I can’t explain enough how much of an honor it is.”

Pacioretty, who earned CCHA Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman at Michigan last season, gave up his final years of eligibility to sign with the Canadiens. The Wolverines provided the New Canaan athlete a great stage on which to hone his skills, as he played with two veteran seniors on the nation’s highest-scoring line, but when the opportunity arose to sign with the Canadiens, Pacioretty decided it was time to move on.

“My goal is to play in the NHL one day and I think just making this step is getting me that much closer and helping me develop a lot more, so hopefully, I can achieve that soon,” Pacioretty said. “I feel like every year, I’ve been developing and getting better, and I’ve learning new ideas about the game. As I get bigger and stronger, I’ve been taking it to the next level by going up each year, whether its to college or junior and now the pro. That makes the transition that much easier.”

A 6-2, 203-pound left winger, Pacioretty was taken with the 22nd pick in the 2007 NHL draft — the second of two first-rounders for the Habs. After a year at Michigan, Pacioretty made the decision to move on after a great performance at Montreal’s annual development camp earlier this year.

After seeing what Pacioretty achieved against other top players, the Canadiens urged him to sign a contract and begin his pro career.

“I wasn’t really sure how I was going to do going in there and I ended up playing really well,” Pacioretty said. “It really showed me how I lined up against a lot of players in the organization and gave me a lot of confidence since I did so well there. From that camp, they thought it was the right decision to sign. I agreed with them and we took it from there.”

Pacioretty has moved up quickly through several levels of ice hockey and has always come through with flying colors. He played two years with the New Canaan Rams before moving on to The Taft School for two years, and they played with the Sioux City Musketeers in the United States Hockey League (USHL) during the 2006-07 season.

At Sioux City, Pacioretty racked up 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points in 60 games, and finished with a plus-20 rating. He earned a spot on the USHL All-Rookie Team and was named the USHL Rookie of the Year.

Pacioretty then began suiting up for the Wolverines last winter and was immediately put in a good spot as Head Coach Red Berenson and the Michigan coaching staff placed him alongside two seniors — captain and center Kevin Porter and right wing Chad Kolarik — on the Wolverines’ No. 1 line.

The trio formed the nation’s top-scoring line this winter, with a combined 78 goals, 80 assists and 158 points. Porter won the Hobey Baker Award and Kolarik was an All-American.

Pacioretty finished fourth on the team in points with 39 on 15 goals and 24 assists. He had nine power play goals and three game-winners, and is 39 points ranked fifth in the country among freshmen. Pacioretty earned the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s Rookie of the Year Award and was an honorable mention for National Rookie of the Year.

“I was put it in a great situation to play with two of the best players in the country as a freshman,” Pacioretty said. “Just to practice with them every day and playing their line day showed me a lot about the game and helped me improve tremendously. I don’t think I’d be where I am right now if weren’t for playing with those two players.”

Pacioretty credited the Michigan coaching staff with pushing him to become an even better player.

“They helped me a lot,” he said. “First off, they gave me the opportunity to play with those two kids right from the get-go. Every day in practice, they were all over me trying to make me a better player because they knew that one day I’d be making this decision. I really have to thank them a lot for helping me out with my development.”

Pacioretty will be home in New Canaan until mid-September before heading to training camp and will most likely play for the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs of Ontario, at least to start.

In training camp and with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Pacioretty will look to continue his rapid development as an NHL prospect, and he was quick to answer the question of what area he hopes to improve in the most.

“My consistency,” he said. “Trying to make it to the NHL, you can’t take a night off and you can’t take a shift off. I was to be able to go out there and use my body every shift for an entire game. Being able to recover and do that every night is something that’s pretty hard for a physical player like me, so if I can take care of my body and do that, I think I’ll be pretty effective.”

Dave Stewart, the Sports Editor of the New Canaan (Conn.) Advertiser, is a MaxPreps.com writer and photographer. He may be reached at 203-966-9541 or at sports@ncadvertiser.com