Detroit Red Wings will reportedly sign longtime NHL veteran

Veteran NHL forward Max Pacioretty remains a free agent as training camps in the league fire up.

While there have been rumors surrounding his fate in the NHL, Pacioretty has yet to find a new home after his stint in Toronto.

He's proven a capable bottom-six forward who has had to adapt his game as his prime has long since passed him by.

His stint in Toronto was shortened due to a lower-body injury, placing him on LTIR in November.

In 37 games with the Leafs, he scored 5-8-13 points and suited up for 11 playoff games. He'd come in clutch for the Maple Leafs, scoring 3-5-8 points.

While Pacioretty is no longer the sniper we once knew, he could still add some grit to the Detroit Red Wings' bottom-six. He added 104 hits in addition to 5 goals this past season.

According to recent reports, the Detroit Red Wings are going to sign sign Pacioretty, who could play a key role in Hockeytown.

The headline of the report read:

The team has been linked to the former Maple Leafs star, as Steve Yzerman is constructing a competitive roster for the postseason.

While you wonder why there is interest in an aging star?

The expectation that he could solve multiple issues in the Red Wings lineup could be construed as ridiculous, which the notion is. He'd be a great ancillary option who could find himself utilized on the power-play, and as a checking forward on the bottom-six.

Pacioretty could be utilized in a replacement role in case of injury, and could be had for an affordable one-year deal should he sign in Detroit.

The former Wolverine has yet to win a Stanley Cup during his NHL career, but has played 939 games, scoring 335-346-681 points.

Last season, he earned $825K as part of the Maple Leafs, and it'd be realistic to expect him to sign for that kind of deal here in Detroit.

All that needs to happen now is Yzerman setting aside a budget for his contract for 2025-26.