Habs’ Max Pacioretty is officially on the Olympic hockey team the U.S. will send to Sochi.
DALLAS — Max Pacioretty is the first Canadien to earn a trip to the Sochi Olympics.
Pacioretty was watching the Winter Classic telecast from Detroit Wednesday when he heard his name called as one of the 25 players selected for the U.S. Olympic team.
“It’s obviously such an honour, especially when you see some of the guys who didn’t make the team,” Pacioretty said. “It could have gone either way.”
Pacioretty said he felt some anxiety leading to the announcement and that he will be happy to leave that behind.
“I’ve played pretty well of late, but my game is even better than I’ve shown so far this year,” he said. “Now that the stress or pressure to prove anything to Team USA is off my back I have to do more to help my team here. I have to take things one day at a time and build up some momentum and get used to winning.”
When asked whether he had any doubts that he would make the team, he said: “I’m only human. After a bad game it definitely crept into my mind. I tried not to think about it, but other people would mention it. I have some buddies who are planning to go to the Olympics and they were texting me every so often: ‘Did you hear? Did you hear?’ People are lying if they tell you they weren’t thinking about it at all but I did a good job of blocking it out lately.”
Pacioretty said he was a little anxious as the team was announced but he said his attitude has changed since his wife, Katia, gave birth to their first child last week.
“Ever since I had my kid I thought whatever happens, happens,” he said. “I wanted to make this team more than anything but the past week I forgot about it. I told myself I wouldn’t try to control things I can’t control. I think that attitude will help me going forward.”
Pacioretty said the U.S. team was “really good.”
“Team USA has more and more talent,” he said. “If you look at the guys who were left off the team, it shows how deep U.S. hockey is. I had to beat out a lot of great players to make this team.”
The players who didn’t make the team included the Canadiens’ Alex Galchenyuk who was a long-shot because he’s only 19. Other players who were overlooked included goaltender Ben Bishop, Bobby Ryan, Keith Yandle and Jason Pominville.
Ryan has 18 goals and the only U.S. players with more are Patrick Kane (23) and Phil Kessel (20). Pacioretty and Pominville each have 17.
Pacioretty said he received a boost of confidence from Calgary Flames president Brian Burke, who is part of the Team USA management.
“He called me and reassured me that I was having a good year,” Pacioretty said. “He advised me about how the selection process went. I didn’t know whether I was the last pick or what and he reassured me.”
Pacioretty said the Olympics were an opportunity to take his game to a new level.
“I’ll be playing against the best in the world. You like to say the most skilled players are in the NHL but it’s a whole different stage over there on the big ice. You’re up against the best players in the world with an opportunity to let your skills shine. I attribute my game on my speed and I think I’ll get an opportunity to use it. I want to open up some eyes over there.”
The Olympics will match Pacioretty against some of his current teammates and he isn’t looking forward to facing Carey Price in a shootout.
“I go up against him all the time in practice and I have trouble beating him,” he noted.
But Pacioretty said he wasn’t concerned about being run by defenceman P.K. Subban, saying: “I’m never worried about that.”