Distractions are never a good thing for any organization, at least that’s what management groups like to say. It didn’t take a secret detective to expect Max Pacioretty to be a big topic heading into training camp this season. But learning of the reluctance from the Montreal Canadiens to extend him made it clear that a trade was on its way and sparked things further.
Now there are conflicting views about what did and didn’t happen at the 2018 NHL Draft. The story was that Pacioretty was millimetres away from becoming the newest member of the Los Angeles Kings, but things went off the rails when a contract couldn’t be decided on.