Max Pacioretty Speaks Out in Frustration After Being Benched as a Healthy Scratch

After a stellar preseason and training camp, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed veteran forward Max Pacioretty to a one-year contract. However, for whatever reason, head coach Craig Berube has kept Pacioretty out of the lineup for the team's last two games.

Any veteran player in the National Hockey League would find that to be less than ideal, as you might expect, but Pacioretty's new contract probably makes it an even more annoying situation for the 35-year-old forward.

Pacioretty agreed to a one-year contract worth $873,770, but he also received two performance bonuses that depend on how many games he plays this season. Pacioretty will receive an extra $313,115 upon reaching the 10-game threshold, and he will receive the same sum once more upon reaching the 35-game threshold.

Given that, Pacioretty's expression of annoyance at being left out of the starting lineup this weekend was not shocking. To his credit, though, Pacioretty seemed to be making every effort to keep a cheerful attitude in spite of the annoying circumstance he currently finds himself in.

Although Pacioretty has been a healthy scratch recently, it seems he will be in the lineup for tonight's game against the Tamp Bay Lightning.

Pacioretty believes that his work ethic and attitude are the only things he truly has control over in all of this. Being a seasoned forward in the league, he has witnessed players experience similar circumstances throughout their careers and appears to be handling everything calmly.