This morning the Montreal Canadiens announced that forward Max Pacioretty has been selected as the new captain of the Montreal Canadiens following a player vote. He is the 29th captain in franchise history.
Pacioretty, 26, was considered in a dead lock with defenceman P.K. Subban in the fans and organizations eyes for who would be the next captain of the Habs. Pacioretty has led the Habs in scoring for the past four seasons and has the fourth most goals of any NHL player in the past five years. The New Caanan, Connecticut native is the first American born player to score 30 goals with the Montreal Canadiens. He received the Bill Masterton trophy in 2012 after returning from a serious neck injury in 2011. Pacioretty was drafted 22nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Also announced is were alternate captains for the team:
Habs have picked Max Pacioretty as the 29th captain. Markov, Plekanec, Subban and Gallagher will serve as assistant captains. #sports
— Montreal Gazette (@mtlgazette) September 18, 2015
The last captain of the Montreal Canadiens was Brian Gionta, who left the team following the 2012-2013 NHL regular season. Max Pacioretty is the first left winger since Bob Gainey to be named captain and the first captain to be chosen by the players since 1989, when Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios were selected as co-captains. Max Pacioretty is signed by the Canadiens for the next four years at a $4.5 million cap hit, signed back in 2013. He scored 37 goals, 30 assists for 67 points in the 2014-15 regular season, which just so happens to be Max Pacioretty’s number.
