Max Pacioretty
Max Pacioretty was signed to a professional tryout by the Leafs just recently in their search for some viable candidates to help fill their left wing position heading into the season. Adding Pacioretty seemed like a no-brainer for the club as after all, he was a former 30+ goal scorer and 60+ point-getter and had actually accomplished it five times during his NHL career.
For a Leafs team that had lacked some crucial secondary scoring last season, Pacioretty could provide a big boost in that category. However, having been hit with major injuries the past couple of seasons that saw him miss a significant amount of games, it has affected his overall play to some extent, as he has recorded just 7 goals and 26 points during the past two seasons.
But if Pacioretty can somehow revert to his prior dominant offensive form, the Leafs could hit the jackpot with this PTO. So far, he has impressed during his first preseason game, recording two goals and one assist with six shots on goal playing alongside John Tavares.
Look for Pacioretty to keep working hard and surprise everyone by continuing to be productive throughout training camp and officially earn a permanent spot with the Leafs heading into Opening Night.
The downside here is that he's going to get a longer look from the coach than the team's more important young players. The Leafs can't seem to help themselves from blocking out their young player's development.