Montreal Canadiens: Max Pacioretty Named NHLPA Player of the Week

While the 2011-12 season has not been full of highlights for the Montreal Canadiens, there have been a few individual bright spots that make the difficult place in the standings a little easier to take.

Max Pacioretty is undoubtedly one of those bright spots for the Habs. The big, rangy winger from Connecticut has blossomed this season and begun to display the type of all-around skills, scoring touch and poised demeanor that scouts saw when he was sharpening his abilities at the University of Michigan.

Following a devastating injury last season, many pundits and fans wondered whether Pacioretty could ever fulfill the potential that he had displayed leading up to the injury. Pacioretty has shown, this year, that not only has he rebounded physically, but the upward path on which his career had been tracking has not changed course.

His strength, physical play, scoring touch and poise in front of the cameras, in what is possibly the most difficult market in the NHL to operate, has proven that he is, without a doubt, a pillar of the Canadiens plans moving forward. And he is potentially one of the next best power scoring wingers in the league.

• Max reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career this week, becoming the first American-born player to ever reach that number with the Habs
• Is poised and articulate in front of the hordes of cameras that cover the Canadiens on a daily basis, something that has been a positive for the team and for his teammates, in what has been a difficult season for the Canadiens  
• Has established an immense amount of chemistry with line mates David Desharnais and Erik Cole and has already achieved career highs in all offensive categories this season. He is currently on fire, having recorded 5 points in his last 2 games 

BIOGRAPHY

• Born in New Canaan, Connecticut, United States on November 20, 1988  
• Drafted in the first round,  22^nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
• Played for the Wolverines at the University of Michigan for one season and was named the CCHA Rookie of the Year
• Represented the United States internationally at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship

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