What type of agreement it will be—a professional tryout or a standard player contract—remains uncertain at the moment, but it is fairly clear at this point that he will be with the Leafs when training camp kicks off.
There are a few different angles to consider when evaluating the move.
The first is the player himself. Pacioretty is set to turn 36 in November and is coming off his first half-season of hockey in three years following two Achilles tears in a five-month span. He did play in 47 games this season with Washington after returning mid-season—a good sign—and he put up four goals and 23 points while averaging 14:26 per night.