When the Montreal Canadiens open the 2018-2019 NHL season, will the man known as "Patches" be the one carrying the torch to centre ice?
Not according to a report in The Athletic.
On Tuesday the publication reported an NHL source revealed that Marc Bergevin has told Max Pacioretty the team is no longer interested in negotiating a new contract and will look to trade him as soon as possible.
Rumours of Pacioretty have been plentiful this summer, picking up steam in June at the NHL Entry Draft.
TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie reported the Habs had a deal in place to send the Captain to Hollywood.
“The belief is that there was a deal in place with the Los Angeles Kings, and that it didn’t get done because there wasn’t the ability to get a contract extension done,” McKenzie told TSN Radio Montreal 690. “And obviously complicating things was that, as I understand it, the contract offer that Pacioretty got went through his agent, Pat Brisson, on Friday and by Saturday morning, he had changed agents, and had gone to Allan Walsh."
Pacioretty is in the final year of a six year contract worth US$27-million.