The 2024 NHL trade deadline is less than a month away. These final few weeks ahead of the big day on March 8 will help determine who is buying to push for a deep playoff run and who is selling to recoup assets in preparation for next season.
The Washington Capitals, losers of six in a row, appear headed to join the latter group. The team has a handful of players on expiring contracts that could entice contenders to make a deal to give a boost to their postseason-bound lineups.
While we’ve heard reports about names like Anthony Mantha and Joel Edmundson, little has been said about veteran winger and fellow pending UFA Max Pacioretty. That’s likely because Pacioretty’s contract includes a full no-move clause, meaning any move the Capitals make regarding Patches would need his complete approval.
Even so, a deal might not be off the table. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun revealed in the latest edition of his “LeBrun rumblings” column that Pacioretty may be willing to play ball at the deadline. Until now, there has been no word about the 35-year-old forward’s desires for the back half of this season.
“Pacioretty and Edmundson are intriguing,” LeBrun writes. “For starters, Pacioretty has a 100 percent, full-no move clause, so he and agent Allan Walsh control that process. But my sense is, for the right fit and a chance to chase a Cup, he might waive.”
Pacioretty signed his one-year deal with the Capitals in free agency after tearing his Achilles tendon twice in less than two years. He continued to rehab in Washington and made his Caps debut on January 3. In 14 games for the team, he has recorded seven points (1g, 6a).
During Thursday night’s game against the Florida Panthers, Pacioretty seemed to draw the ire of head coach Spencer Carbery. His 12:54 of ice time was the third-lowest he has played in a game this season.
The Capitals are expected to have an increased amount of flexibility at this year’s deadline due to having both Nicklas Backstrom’s and Evgeny Kuznetsov’s salary currently off their books. The team could retain up to half of Pacioretty’s salary in a trade, making him even more attractive and less risky for cash-strapped Cup contenders.
