Vegas Golden Knights trade Max Pacioretty to Carolina Hurricanes

The Vegas Golden Knights have traded forward Max Pacioretty and defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Carolina Hurricanes, according to multiple reports.

The Hurricanes will send the Golden Knights future considerations in the deal.

Pacioretty, 33, scored 19 goals and 37 points in 39 games with the Golden Knights during the 2021–22 season. In four campaigns with Vegas, Pacioretty racked up 97 goals and 194 points in 224 games.

Coghlan, 24, scored three goals and 13 points while averaging 14:12 in 59 games with Vegas in 2021–22. The undrafted 6’2″ right-handed defenseman has appeared in 88 career games with the Golden Knights over the last two seasons. He’s signed through 2022–23 at a $762,500 cap hit.

From Vegas’ perspective, this is purely a cap-clearing move. Carolina adds a high-scoring top-six forward under contract for one more season at a $7 million cap hit, plus an intriguing young defenseman.

In 850 career regular-season games with the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights, Pacioretty has scored 323 goals and 642 points. The 6’2″ winger has also scored 25 goals and 49 points in 74 career playoff games.

The Hurricanes now have Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen, Pacioretty, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jesper Fast, Jordan Martinook, Ondrej Kase, Seth Jarvis, and Lane Pederson under contract up front for 2022–23, with Martin Necas also around as a restricted free agent.