Appreciating the process

MONTREAL - Nine years have passed since Max Pacioretty signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens.

On July 17, 2008, the then-19-year-old New Canaan, CT native officially turned pro and put pen to paper, bringing his collegiate career at the University of Michigan to a close after just one season.
By all accounts, at the time, it wasn't a particularly easy pill to swallow for the upstart left winger's parents, Raymond and Ana - both of whom had always placed a premium on succeeding in the classroom.
"When you first hear it, that he's going to drop out of college, your first thought is, 'Oh my goodness!' That was especially true for someone like me who didn't know hockey well back then," recalled Ana, upon hearing that her son was making a potentially life-altering decision at such a tender age. "For Ray and I, education had been the primary way to get ahead in life. The only thing I wanted to make sure of was that he thought it through thoroughly."

The decision was hardly made on a whim by Pacioretty, who, after taking part in his second development camp with the Canadiens, felt adequately prepared to leave the NCAA ranks behind and make the big jump forward.
"When he gave me his reasoning, it was so mature and so well thought out. It wasn't an emotional decision or a spur of the moment decision. He'd had a fabulous year under [former University of Michigan head coach] Red Berenson, and he really felt he needed to make the move. He was so eloquent. It was something he really wanted," explained Ana, who quickly realized that her son had his heart set on taking his talents to the next level after securing CCHA Rookie of the Year honors and helping the Wolverines reach the 2008 Frozen Four. "He was so articulate that I really thought, 'This is the right thing and we had to let the chips fall where they may.'"
Everything ultimately panned out, of course, but it didn't come easily. After departing Ann Arbor, Pacioretty spent the ensuing three seasons being shuttled between the Canadiens and the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, before finally securing full-time NHL status for good in 2011-12 - when he registered the first of five 30-goal and 60-plus point campaigns to date.
In retrospect, Ana believes that time Max spent developing in the minors did her son an immeasurable amount of good in the long run.
"I think that's partly where he really got more of his growth, in the AHL. I'm a big believer that you value things a lot more when they aren't handed to you. He had to struggle, work hard, and really earn his spot," she stressed. "During that time, I kept flashing back to all those years Ray was taking him to practices and games, and making sure that he had the right coaches and was developing the right way both physically and mentally. Now, it was up to Max to make the transition on his own. It was a good feeling to see him come through. I think the AHL was a fabulous experience for him."

Pacioretty's numbers in the years since certainly support that contention, having led the Canadiens in scoring in each of the last six seasons.
But what's made Ana particularly proud has been watching her sniper son evolve as much off the ice as he has on it. Being a devoted husband to wife, Katia, and father to his two young sons, three-year-old Lorenzo and two-year-old Maximus Raymond, will always be the most important roles in Max's life.
"Max and Katia chose to be young parents and chose to build a family for each other and for their kids to have one another. As much as I enjoy seeing him on the ice, there's nothing like watching him with his babies. He's a phenomenal dad. He's someone who wants that role and who cherishes that role," explained Ana. "As a dad, I think that's where he's really blossomed."

Only three short months after Maximus Raymond entered the world, Pacioretty was named the 29th captain in Canadiens history on September 18, 2015. He became just the third U.S.-born player to sport the "C", following in the footsteps of Brian Gionta and Chris Chelios, assuming another all-important role in the process.
"At the press conference in Brossard, his face tells it all. He has a very expressive face. He's appreciative. You could see the weight on his shoulders, but also the pride in himself. Those tears, I know what they mean. He isn't a 'public display' type of person, so I know what those mean as a mom," Ana explained. "Having been in the professional world for many years myself, I knew this was a massive responsibility at a very young age in the public eye. I knew it would come with a lot of challenges, but I'd never seen anybody want something so much. He's really dedicated to that role, too. He really cares about his teammates."

Ana considers herself fortunate to have had a front-row seat for Max's transformation over the years, something parents aren't always privy to once their children reach a certain age.
"How many moms get to go and watch their children at work? I get a bird's eye view that many moms don't get, and it's because he's in the public eye," she said. "I've seen him mature across the board, whether it's on the ice as a player or as a leader, as a dad or even as a communicator. Wherever we walk, whether we're in Connecticut or New York, people come up to him and he always makes time for everybody."
It goes without saying that Raymond and Ana have plenty to be proud of, and they're eager to see what the future has in store.
"Over the last 10 years since Max was drafted, the trajectory has been something I never would have guessed. When you start looking at it in all of its pieces, in its entirety, he's had to go through a lot of things to get where he is today," she concluded. "We're just beaming with pride that he's been able to grow into all of these roles."