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'Patches' projects pretty positively

John McGourty | NHL.com Staff Writer
Jun 17, 2007, 12:00 PM EDT

NHL scouts say one of the most important aspects of their business is being able to "project" how a prospect will develop in a few years. If they look at Max Pacioretty's history, they'll see a player who has consistently performed beyond projections in the past.

Pacioretty had 21 goals and 42 assists in 60 USHL games for the Sioux City Musketeers after spending the previous two years at the Taft School in his native Connecticut. "Patches" had five goals and 14 assists there two years ago, good for fourth-place on his team, and went to a USA Hockey talent evaluation camp that summer. He made the team and represented his country that summer at the World Junior Cup, then returned to Taft for a six-goal, 30-assists season.

Pacioretty originally played for New Canaan H.S., in his hometown before going to Taft. He repeated his sophomore year at the prep school and wound up graduating high school in Sioux City last January. That enabled him to focus on hockey in his draft year and he did well, rising from the No. 23 North American skater at midterm to No. 16 in the final rankings and fifth among forwards.

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