Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty ready to use Zdeno Chara incident as motivation for new season-NHL
Montreal Canadiens lost one of their top contributors, Max Pacioretty, during the final moments of the 2010-2011 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season after Boston Bruins captain, Zdeno Chara, smashed him into the side boards, giving him a season ending
concussion and fractured vertebrae.
Now back and in full health, 22-year-old Max Pacioretty is ready to use the previous incident as a motivational factor for him to become a better player overall and reach new heights as far as his game goes.
"It's motivation", said Pacioretty. "My goal is to look down the road and say that this incident made me a better hockey player. That's just the way I was raised I guess. That's definitely the right thing to use for motivation — I had a great summer and
felt pretty good during the pre-season and I'm ready to step it up a notch here in the regular season".
After the cruel incident, it was during Septembers preseason in which the young forward was able to play in four matchups for the first time and scored twice, proving his renewed passion for the game.
For Montreal Canadiens head coach, Jacques Martin, Pacioretty is a valuable player which the team will certainly benefit from in all aspects.
"He means a lot to the line", said coach Jacques Martin. "I think he has the ability to drive wide on defenceman, he has the ability to drive the net without the puck and he's got a good shot”.
Pacioretty will start the new season for Montreal in their season inaugurating matchup against Toronto Maple Leafs, Thursday night, and will be most likely seen playing alongside Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta, a threesome of players who have become irreplaceable
for the franchise.
Last season, Pacioretty played only 37 matchups and still managed to put up impressive numbers by potting 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) along with 39 minutes in penalty time.
The new 2011-2012 season will be a time for Max Pacioretty to reassess his skills and show the hockey world that he has emerged as a better player from the ashes he was in at one point.
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