Max Pacioretty makes a shocking declaration about Radulov!

Max Pacioretty isn't scoring as many goals as he should have been since the start of the 2017-18 season. He recorded eight goals in 28 games, which is much less than what most experts expected from him this year.

In an interview with The Athletic's Marc-Antoine Godin, Pacioretty admitted that it has been hard for him to play without Alexander Radulov this season. 

He said he had to change his style a little bit now that he plays with Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw, which may explain why he hasn't been producing:

“You want to wear down the defence, but once you do and you get that step on someone you want to have that poise to make a play,” Pacioretty said. “That’s what I’m trying to add to my game. That’s never been there. Watch all my goals, you’ve never seen me play like that. But it’s cool that I get the opportunity right now to try and add that to my game, try and play maybe a little bit more one-on-one and between the dots and take some chance."

And even though Radulov's been gone for more than five months now, Patch clearly still misses him:

“You’re trying to wear down the defence so they make a mistake, and I keep going back to it, but Radu is probably the best puck protector I’ve ever seen,” Pacioretty said after practice Wednesday. “He’s probably the best in the world at it.”

"The best puck protector I've ever seen." Wow. This means a lot. It is fair to believe Pacioretty was upset when he learned that Radu had left for Dallas, back in July...

Do you believe Pacioretty will start scoring goals again soon?