The Toronto Maple Leafs need to cut ties with Max Pacioretty.
Max Pacioretty is a hard-worker and his ability to come back after a devastating injury is commendable, but the Toronto Maple Leafs have a Stanley Cup to win this year and he can't be part of the program.
When the Leafs took a flyer on Pacioretty this summer, I was all for it. For league-minimum, why not bring in a six-time 30-goal scorer veteran who could potentially help on the left-wing? The Leafs left-wing position was arguably the team's weakest, so Pacioretty's skillset looked like it could fit.
Many argued that Pacioretty was washed, but I didn't see any issues with giving it a shot. However, after 55 games, it's safe to say that this experiment is over. I'm sure he's been a good influence in the room, but five goals and 13 points, when given the majority of his playing time beside William Nylander and John Tavares is just not good enough.
As much as the Leafs left-wing position was "weak" during the preseason, it's now very strong with the emergence of Bobby McMann and Mathew Knies. Both of those players fit the team's top-six perfectly, which pushes Pacioretty into the bottom-six, which I think is an even worse position for him.
Maple Leafs Should Cut Max Pacioretty
You could argue that Pacioretty as your fourth-line winger is the best option, but I'd rather have a defensive-first winger, or a fast player who can grind and add energy for eight minutes per night. I'm just not really sure that Pacioretty can do that right now, so if that's the case, it's probably best to cut ties with him now.
When I mean cut ties, I'd be fine if they just healthy-scratched him, based on his contract, but also wouldn't care if they traded him or put him on waivers. At this point in his career, Pacioretty should probably consider retirement because his game just isn't there.
If the Leafs make a few moves at the NHL Trade Deadline, which we all expect them to do, it'll only push Pacioretty further down the line-up, as the team will most likely add at left-wing or centre. If the team adds a centre, it probably pushes Pontus Holmberg to the fourth-line wing alongside David Kampf and Steven Lorentz, and if they add a left-winger, McMann could slide to the third-line with that new player playing beside Tavares and Nylander
Either way, it pushes Pacioretty further away from playing time, which is fine. The signing was a no-harm, no-foul experiment and it's time to move on.