Max Pacioretty was one of the last signings the Toronto Maple Leafs made this past offseason. While it started with a professional tryout and turned into a one-year contract after a strong preseason, the Maple Leafs had reportedly had plans to sign him all along, they just needed to make sure everything was clear from a health standpoint.

So far, Pacioretty has been a welcomed veteran addition to a team that’s struggled with scoring outside of the core four this season. He has four goals and five assists for nine points in 16 games, boosted by a two-goal, three-point affair over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. Pacioretty was reunited with John Tavares and William Nylander, which seemed like the right move all along considering the success that line had early on in the year, and he responded with his best game of the season. It was unfortunately overshadowed by the injury to star goaltender Anthony Stolarz, but the Leafs don’t get the two points without him, so he deserves his props for the role he played in the win.

Talking to reporters postgame, Pacioretty attributed part of his good game to his chemistry with Tavares, noting the play he made to set up his first goal,

“It’s timing and it’s chemistry,” Pacioretty said. “I wasn’t exactly in the goalie’s eyes on that first one, but the chemistry with Johnny and knowing how he’s going to throw it behind him, and I think when you play with top-notch players like that, the chemistry just seems to keep growing and growing.”

Pacioretty, 36, has been a top-six, scoring power forward throughout his entire career. Just three years ago he had 19 goals and 37 points in 39 games with the Vegas Golden Knights. His struggles with staying healthy have plagued his last couple of seasons, but since returning to the lineup, he’s both shown flashes of his prime and his new role of hard forechecking and physical play. The latter was on display with a huge hit on New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes on Tuesday night and the former with his three-point affair on Thursday.

“I feel really confident and comfortable right now,” Pacioretty told Sports on Prime Canada on a FaceTime call postgame. “We have a lot of depth on this team and we have some guys hopefully coming back from injuries, too.”

Pacioretty has skated on each of the top three lines to start the season and acknowledged postgame that he’s not going to be dropping three points every time he’s in the lineup, but he’s happy to help out however and wherever the team needs him.

“Tonight was a great night where everything seemed to work out the right way, but when there’s other areas you can chip in and play different roles, I’m happy to do it.”