To understand the long and winding and sometimes difficult road Max Pacioretty traveled to get here — star winger on a second line for a Golden Knights team that opens its second season on Thursday night against the Flyers at T-Mobile Arena — you have to remember 1991.
He wasn’t yet 3 years old.
It was the year Edmonton Oilers great Mark Messier issued a public trade demand, saying he wanted out if the team wasn’t willing to re-sign important players.
So it went that, in one of many cost-cutting moves by management, Edmonton dealt Messier to the New York Rangers.