Oilers Linked to Maple Leafs UFA Max Pacioretty

With the NHL's unrestricted free agency down to the last scraps at this point, Toronto Maple Leafs forward, and 17-year veteran, Max Pacioretty, is now the third-highest ranked remaining UFA, per Daily Faceoff.

Of course, he's nowhere near the goal scorer he once was with the Montreal Canadiens (or even when he was with the Vegas Golden Knights). He had eight 20-goal seasons and six times cracked the 30-mark. This past year, he had five goals and 13 points with Toronto.

But he can still make his mark as a bottom-six physical forward, as witnessed by his 105 hits with the Leafs in just 37 games this past season—most of them of the thunderous variety.

Max Pacioretty with a HUGE hit on Jack Hughes 😳 pic.twitter.com/5wQw70cRWN
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 11, 2024

Max Pacioretty absolutely NAILS Mavrik Bourque 😳💥 pic.twitter.com/PryMvEPkc0
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 19, 2024

It just so happens, notes Edmonton Oilers analyst David Staples in the Edmonton Journal, that Oil City will be without Evander Kane and his 250 hits (in his last full season) this coming year, and they lost another power forward, Dylan Holloway, the year before. Corey Perry, a gritty forward who likes to get his hands dirty, has also flown the coop.

UFA Max Pacioretty would be 'excellent fit' for Edmonton Oilers, says analyst

Staples suggests that Pacioretty "might well be an excellent fit here, especially come playoff time.

"Of course, he’s slowing down... But in small doses, Pacioretty still brings it as a power forward. It’s fair to be worried about his cumulative injuries but if the Oilers manage him properly, he’s a decent bet to be healthy when needed most, for the 2026 playoff run."

In the Stanley Cup playoffs over the course of his career, Pacioretty has shown his mettle, with 28 goals, 58 points and 193 hits in 89 postseason games. He had eight points in 11 playoff games for Toronto this past season, in just 12:51 average TOI.

MAX PACIORETTY IN THE CLUTCH (AGAIN!) pic.twitter.com/v5bCcPWVY4
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 17, 2025

Last season, Patches was able to be had for under $900K on a one-year deal. The price is certainly right for an Oilers team that currently has just $225K available in cap space. That's a gap that could be bridged. The 36-year-old is still deciding on his 2025-26 address, but as Staples argues, he would be an ideal fit in Edmonton.

Overall, in a 17-year career, he's notched 336 goals and 681 points in 939 regular-season games.