Capitals Max Pacioretty to trigger $1 million bonus after 10th game of 2023-24

A veteran is set to a cool wad of cash when he steps onto the ice on Tuesday night.

If Max Pacioretty is in the lineup for the Washington Capitals when they face the Minnesota Wild, he is set to earn a $1 million bonus.

The bonus is written into Pacioretty’s one-year contract that he signed with the Capitals back on July 1. It states that if the former Michigan Wolverine played 10 games, he’d tack on another million to his $2 million cap hit.

Pacioretty’s contract, which also holds a no-movement clause, has an AAV of $4 million, thanks to $2 million in performance bonuses.

If he ends up playing 15 games for the Caps this season, that will be another $500,000 in Pacioretty’s pocket. He would also earn another half-million if he makes it to 20.

That “milestone” will certainly mean something to the 35-year-old, as he has struggled to avoid the injury bug over the past few seasons.

He was traded from Vegas to the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the 2022-23 season, but an injured Achilles held him out of the lineup until January. However, just five games into his tenure with the Canes, Pacioretty re-injured his Achilles, and was done for the season.

After months of rehab, again, Pacioretty returned to play with the Caps on Jan. 3, almost a year to the day to when he made his debut with the Hurricanes.

In nine games, the Connecticut native has a goal and four assists. In 864 career NHL games, Pacioretty has 327 goals and 323 assists. He also has 49 points in 74 playoff games.

The Capitals (22-16-6) are trying to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They are sixth in the Metropolitan Division, five points back of the Hurricanes, and three back of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the last Wild Card spot.