Max Pacioretty activated to active roster

The long wait is finally over and Max Pacioretty is now on the verge of of playing for the Carolina Hurricanes after it was announced today that he was activated from the injured non-roster list.

The winger has been practicing with the team for several weeks now and is at the point where he feels good enough to play again it seems.

His natural goal scoring ability and offensive presence will be a big boost to a team that is already in first place in their division and second place overall in the entire NHL.

The Hurricanes will probably start him out slow with a limited deployment and then see how fast he can ramp it up.

Along with the announcement that Pacioretty was activated came the news that forward Ondrej Kase would be going on LTIR. The Czech winger has had a really tough time dealing with concussions over his career and played only one game with Carolina before he was forced back out of action.

He had been practicing with the Canes for a couple of weeks in a non-contact jersey, but whether or not he will be able to return to hockey remains to be seen.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Jan. 4, 2023

PACIORETTY ACTIVATED FROM INJURED NON-ROSTER

‘Canes place Kase on LTIR, Fitzgerald on waivers

RALEIGH, N.C. – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has activated forward Max Pacioretty from the injured non-roster list. Forward Ondrej Kase has also been placed on long-term injured reserve, and defenseman Cavan Fitzgerald has been placed on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Pacioretty, 34, underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles on Aug. 10 and has not appeared in any of Carolina’s 38 games this season. The 6’2”, 214-pound forward was acquired by the Hurricanes along with defenseman Dylan Coghlan from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for future considerations on July 13, 2022. Pacioretty tallied 37 points (19g, 18a) in 39 NHL games with Vegas in 2021-22, and he has recorded 642 points (323g, 319a) in 850 career NHL games with Montreal and Vegas. He wore a letter in seven of eight NHL seasons from 2014-22, captaining the Canadiens from 2015-18. The New Canaan, Conn., native has represented the United States at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship, 2014 Olympics and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Pacioretty was selected by Montreal in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2007 NHL Draft.

Kase, 27, has missed each of the last 37 games due to a concussion after signing with Carolina as a free agent in the offseason and making his Hurricanes debut in the season opener against Columbus. The 6’0”, 191-pound forward posted 27 points (14g, 13a) in 50 NHL games with Toronto last season and has now earned 124 points (57g, 67a) in 258 career NHL games with Anaheim, Boston, Toronto and Carolina. The Kadan, Czechia, native represented his home country at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Kase was selected by Anaheim in the seventh round, 205th overall, of the 2014 NHL Draft.

Fitzgerald, 26, was placed on the injured non-roster list at the beginning of the season due to an upper-body injury. The 6’1”, 190-pound defenseman has registered 59 points (19g, 40a) in 220 career AHL games with San Jose, Charlotte and Chicago. Fitzgerald skated in 17 AHL playoff games last season, tallying six points (1g, 5a) to help the Wolves win the Calder Cup. The Boston, Mass., native signed with Carolina as a free agent on May 11, 2021.