36-year-old forward had 681 points with 5 teams, joins Michigan coaching staff

Max Pacioretty retires 93025

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Max Pacioretty announced his retirement from the NHL on Tuesday after 17 seasons and joined the University of Michigan as a special assistant to the head coach.

The 36-year-old forward had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 37 regular-season games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. He also had eight points (three goals, five assists) in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games, which ranked fourth on the team.

“After 17 seasons in the NHL, I’m excited to begin this next chapter with Michigan Hockey,” Pacioretty said. “I’m so thankful for the teammates, coaches and fans who have been a part of my journey. Hockey has given me so much, and now I have the opportunity to help develop the next generation of players.”

Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (No. 22) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Pacioretty had arguably his best NHL season in 2014-15, when he tied his NHL career high with 67 points (37 goals, 30 assists) in 80 games and also tied Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the NHL lead in plus/minus (plus-38).

Following that season, on Sept. 18, 2015, Pacioretty was named captain of the Canadiens following a vote by the players. He held that role until he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 10, 2018.

Pacioretty continued to thrive with Vegas, playing his first NHL All-Star Game in 2019-20, when he had 66 points (32 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. He scored 236 goals from 2013-14 to 2020-21, which ranked seventh in the NHL.

However, injuries began taking a toll on Pacioretty during the 2021-22 season, when he was limited to 39 games with Vegas because of a broken foot and wrist injury, which required surgery. He was then traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 13, 2022, but before he could play a game for them, he tore his right Achilles tendon during training. When he returned for the Hurricanes, he played in only five games before he tore his Achilles again in a game against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 19, 2023, requiring another surgery