Music: {allcanada} Habs send Pacioretty packing to Hamilton

Saturday, October 2, 2010

{allcanada} Habs send Pacioretty packing to Hamilton

MONTREAL - Max Pacioretty (notes)'s hockey career suffered a setback with the Canadiens' decision to return him to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

It appeared the team was prepared to give him another chance to show when he can do when he practiced with Jeff Halpern (notes) and Maxim Lapierre (notes) Friday. But two hours after Pacioretty said he was hoping to be in the lineup for Saturday night's final exhibition game against the New York Islanders in Quebec City, the team announced he was being sent to the Bulldogs.

Pacioretty picked up a pair of assists in two exhibition appearances, but missed four days with an upper-body injury. He said Friday he was 100 per cent.

Pacioretty, who will turn 22 in November, was drafted in the first round in 2007 and the Canadiens projected the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder as a power forward. He left the University of Michigan after one season to sign with the Canadiens in 2008. He split his first season between Montreal and Hamilton and three goals and eight assists in 34 games in 2008-09.

Last season, he earned a spot with the Canadiens coming out of training camp but he returned to the minors after collecting three goals and 11 assists in 52 games.