Max Pacioretty feels amazing and is ready to prove it in his debut pre-season game with the Maple Leafs on Sunday.
The forward revealed that John Tavares would be centering his line against the Ottawa Senators inside Scotiabank Arena, and it's likely Russian prospect Nikita Grebenkin will join the duo.
"One of the best players in the league. Excited to play with him, and hopefully we can contribute tonight."
This will be Pacioretty's first-ever game wearing blue and white after spending eight seasons with the Montreal Canadiens (with his last three being the captain), four seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, and one year with each of the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals.
It'll be a little bit different seeing the 35-year-old in a Maple Leafs jersey, however, he's excited for the chance to play in front of the Toronto faithful, after signing a professional tryout with the club earlier this month.
"It's gonna be a lot of fun," he said on Sunday morning. "I've said it from day one, I have a lot to prove and I'm excited to get out there now and prove it in front of the fans."
Pacioretty has missed the better part of two seasons after suffering back-to-back Achilles injuries. He admitted earlier this week that it had been a difficult summer of training and travelling to people who would help him get back into game-ready shape.
But after a few gruelling days of training camp under new head coach Craig Berube, Pacioretty says the body's holding up quite well.
"I feel amazing. I knew I would feel good, but I didn't know I'd feel this good. So I feel great," the forward said on Sunday.
It'll be a fascinating game on Sunday night with a couple of storylines: How will William Nylander look at center? How will Toronto's power play look? How can younger players such as Easton Cowan and Nikita Grebenkin impress?
The head coach will also likely be keeping an eye on Pacioretty as he works to earn a contract with the Maple Leafs ahead of the regular season.
"He looks really good. I mean, he looks really strong for me. The normal Patch that I've seen in the past," Berube said on Sunday morning.
"In camp here, he's been physical in my opinion too, which is good to see. He's a big, strong guy, and he's got a very good shot, we all know that. But his skating looks really good to me, which is a good sign."
Pacioretty's agent, Allan Walsh, has already said that he expects his client to sign a contract with Toronto before the regular season begins on Oct. 9 in Montreal.
