Max Pacioretty is out indefinitely after undergoing wrist surgery
Max Pacioretty is back on the shelf.
The Vegas Golden Knights announced on Thursday that Pacioretty has undergone wrist surgery and that he’ll be out indefinitely.
Update: Max Pacioretty had successful wrist surgery today. He will be out of the lineup indefinitely. #VegasBorn
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 30, 2021This is the second time this season that Pacioretty will miss an extended period of action due to injury. In Vegas’ second game of the season, Pacioretty broke his foot and wound up missing 17 games.
When healthy, Pacioretty has been excellent for the Golden Knights this season. Through just 16 games, he’s second on the team with 12 goals and he has 21 points.
The Golden Knights own a 21-12-0 record and sit in first place in the Pacific Division. Pacioretty will likely wind up on the Long-Term Injured Reserve, which could help give the team the cap room necessary to eventually activate Jack Eichel when he’s ready to return to play.
Vegas acquired Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres back in November and he underwent surgery to have an artificial disc placed in his neck. The hope for Vegas is that Eichel can join the team at some point in February, but adding his $10 million cap hit represents a significant challenge for the team.