Before the NHL trade deadline, it seemed almost certain that the Washington Capitals would trade forward Max Pacioretty. With the Capitals playoff hopes fading, it seemed like they would give the veteran an opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup. However, when the 3:00 p.m. deadline passed, Patches was still a member of the Caps.
Lots of questions surrounded Pacioretty remaining in DC, despite multiple teams rumored to have interest. So why wasn't Pacioretty traded? Well according to Frank Seravalli, it was actually Pacioretty's choice to remain in Washington