VHN Daily: Pacioretty hopes for Olympics call; relaxed dress code?

Max Pacioretty has been there and done that. He has played for his country in international competition and the Connecticut native said wearing the red, white and blue of Team USA is always an honor.

So if Olympic coach Mike Sullivan calls Pacioretty and asks him to skate in Beijing come February at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Pacioretty may find himself on a plane bound for China.

“I was in Sochi,” the Golden Knights forward said of the 2014 Games when he played for the USA, which missed the medial stand, finishing fourth. “It wasn’t the result any of us wanted. So if I were to get invited, it’s definitely something I’d have to consider.”

At age 32, Pacioretty’s time may have come and gone. However. the Vegas Golden Knights’ leading goal-scorer from last season with 24 tallies, can still find the net. He might be a useful tool on the power play and he has experience with Sullivan, who coached him in Sochi.

“Right now, I’m not really thinking about it,” Pacioretty said of the Olympics. “I’m trying to get ready for our season.”

If he does go to China, Pacioretty’s wardrobe will be selected for him. Right now, the NHL requires players to wear a jacket and tie to the rink on game night. But the Arizona Coyotes are going to seek a remedy to that.

According to ESPN.com’s Emily Kaplan, the ‘Yotes are going to relax their dress code and allow their players to ditch the coat-and-tie routine. The one caveat the league mandate has is it can be subject to change at the general manager’s or team president’s discretion.

The ‘Yotes, who do have a sense of fashion sporting those cool Kachina sweaters, would be the first team to relax the dress code.

Around the National Hockey Now Network:

PittsburghHockeyNow: Dan Kingerski has a great story about veteran goaltender Louis Dominigue, who was in a tough place with his career the last two years but may be undergoing a revival with the Penguins.

VancouverHockeyNow: Defenseman Brad Hunt, one of hockey’s truly great guys, is hoping to keep his NHL career going with the Canucks. He talked to our Rob Simpson about fitting in and earning his way.

ColoradoHockeyNow: Some sad news to report from Denver where Avalanche TV analyst Peter McNab announced he has cancer. McNab has been working Avs games for 26 years and Adrian Dater said the plan is for McNab to stay on the air while undergoing treatment.

BostonHockeyNow: According to Joe Haggerty, rookie Jack Studnicka is making a strong push to fill the Bruins’ second line center spot. 

SanJoseHockeyNow: According to Sheng Peng, rookie William Eklund may be able to help the Sharks power play. He’s been out there during the preseason and has a couple of assists. The forward could work his way onto the ice. 

WashingtonHockeyNow: The Capitals lost to the New Jersey Devils 5-4 Wednesday. But Sammi Silber points out there were some positives, including Evgeni Kuznetsov’s preseason debut.