Former NHL forward Drew Shore floated the idea of Max Pacioretty making a return to the Montreal Canadiens despite a relatively quiet regular season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Pacioretty, now an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year, $873,770 deal with the Leafs in October 2024 after earning a spot via a professional tryout. He finished the season with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 37 games and got eight points in 11 playoff games.On The Big Show podcast, Shore was asked whether the Canadiens should consider bringing back their former captain, especially after what he showed during Toronto’s playoff run.“I think that'd be awesome, and I think it'd be a great storyline. And I think like you just said, regardless of how effective he's going to be, and I think he showed in the playoffs that he definitely can still be effective, but I think he'd be a huge boost to that locker room as well," Shore replied.Shore also pointed out that Pacioretty's dip in production during the regular season was understandable, given the major injuries he’s battled through, most notably back-to-back Achilles tears.“I think he was just probably average for his standards during the regular season for the Leafs, but I think anyone who can play at that level in the playoffs certainly is deserving of a one or two-year deal," Shore added.Pacioretty spent the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with Montreal. He played only 47 games for the Washington Capitals in 2023-24, posting four goals and 19 assists, due to Achilles injury.NHL analyst Brennan McClain on what should be Max Pacioretty's next contractGiven Pacioretty's injury history, Brennan McClain of the Pro Hockey Rumors, believes the veteran winger Max Pacioretty should only receive a one-year deal in the range of $775,000-850,000."Although he doesn’t know where he’s playing yet, Pacioretty should know exactly what kind of contract he’s getting,” McClain said.McClain suggests that the contract could include performance-based bonuses, similar to the deal Pacioretty had with the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season.That would provide the signing team with some protection while also giving Max Pacioretty the opportunity to earn a more lucrative contract if he can stay healthy and productive.