Chatter about the Canadiens’ willingness to trade Max Pacioretty
It seems inexplicable, but Slap Shots has heard continued chatter about the Canadiens’ willingness to trade Max Pacioretty, the 25-year-old winger who apparently isn’t Michel Therrien’s ideal.
Of course the Rangers are interested, but unless the Blueshirts are willing to re-gift Montreal with Ryan McDonagh (and they’re not dealing McDonagh, one of the most untradeable players in the league), there is little reason to believe the clubs have a match, and no, the Habs don’t seem to be a potential landing spot for Michael Del Zotto.
We’re told the Islanders and Flyers are taking serious runs at Pacioretty, who has a club-friendly contract worth $4.5 million per that runs through 2018-19, but Montreal GM Marc Bergevin isn’t prone to dealing him in the East — if he’s willing to deal him at all after the roster freeze melts after Friday night’s games.
The problem with David Clarkson isn’t with the player, but with the folks in Toronto (and anywhere else) who projected the winger would become a $5.25M player just because he signed a seven-year free-agent contract worth an average of $5.25M per.
http://nypost.com/2013/12/21/nhl-must-meet-about-game-safety/