Pacioretty won't negotiate contract with Canadiens once season begins

Max Pacioretty said he won't negotiate a contract with the Montreal Canadiens once the season begins.
"As I learned last year, it is very difficult to play to the best of your abilities when you have this much of a distraction," the 29-year-old forward said during teammate Jonathan Drouin's charity event in Montreal on Thursday.

"I do understand that there will be distractions regardless this season, but I want to try to make that as minimal as possible, and I think it's unfair for me and my teammates if I'm standing up here every day talking about my contract situation, talking to them about it every day.
"I think this will make it much easier on focusing about just playing hockey and that's what I have to get back to doing and that's what I'm looking forward to doing."

Pacioretty, who has been the Canadiens captain since Sept. 18, 2015, is going into the final season of his contract and can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He has been eligible to sign a contract extension since July 1 and has been the subject of trade rumors.
Montreal opens its season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 3.
Pacioretty said he is unsure if he would be with the Canadiens when training camp opens next week.
"I don't know," he said. "I'm really taking it one day at a time. It looks like right now I will be, I'm assuming. Camp is right around the corner. Like I said, I just want to focus on putting on my skates and playing hockey."
His agent, Allan Walsh, said Aug. 28 that Pacioretty has no interest in leaving Montreal.
"To be clear, while there have been many discussions over the last two months, there have been no negotiations on a new contract," Walsh posted on his Twitter account. "Montreal has not made any offers to this date. Max has stated repeatedly that he loves Montreal and wants to sign a new contract with the Canadiens."
Pacioretty had 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 64 games last season and missed the final 18 games because of a knee injury. It was his fewest goals and points since 2010-11.

The Canadiens had 71 points (29-40-13) and finished 14th in the Eastern Conference last season; it was their fewest points in a full season since 2000-01 when they had 70. It was the second time in three seasons they missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Selected by the Canadiens with the No. 22 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, Pacioretty has 448 points (226 goals, 222 assists) in 626 regular-season games, and 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 38 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has scored at least 30 goals in a season five times, including four straight seasons from 2013-17.
"When you're a kid growing up playing hockey, you don't dream about stuff like this," Pacioretty said. "You don't dream about contracts and all that. You dream about playing hockey and having fun and that's really what I want to focus on right now."