Max Pacioretty officially making Carolina Hurricanes debut against Nashville Predators

Max Pacioretty is ready to play hockey again.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday that the veteran forward, who has recovered from an Achilles tendon tear, would be in the lineup against the Nashville Predators in the game at PNC Arena and make his Hurricanes debut.

The Hurricanes traded for Pacioretty in the offseason, working a July 19 deal with the Vegas Golden Knights and looking to add a proven scorer. Pacioretty, 34, suffered the Achilles injury in early August in an off-ice workout and underwent surgery.

The belief initially was that Pacioretty might not be available until some time in February. But he began skating in December, joined the team practices in a yellow non-contact jersey, then switched to a normal jersey on Dec. 27. He was taken off Long Term Injured Reserve on Wednesday.

Brind’Amour said he would temper his expectations for Pacioretty.

“I’m not going to put too much on him,” Brind’Amour said. “He’ll get up to game speed as quickly as possible and then he’ll have the adjustment period of what we’re doing. I think that’s the biggest thing for him right now. Just get his feet under him and get back to playing in the NHL.”

The game against Nashville will be Pacioretty’s first NHL game since April 29, 2022, when he had a goal and assist for the Golden Knights at St. Louis.

Pacioretty had 19 goals and 37 points in39 regular-season games last season for Vegas. He has scored 30 or more goals six times and has 323 goals in his career.

It’s that kind of steady production that the Canes will be counting on when Pacioretty is back at full speed.

“We hope he will bring what he’s done his whole career (and) put the puck in the back of the net when he gets his chances,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s a goal scorer and you can’t have enough of that.”