Golden Knights' Pacioretty denies asking for trade out of Montreal

Who's telling the truth?

Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and general manager Marc Bergevin both stated two months ago that Max Pacioretty requested a trade out of La Belle Province.

However, in an interview with Sportsnet's Christine Simpson that aired prior to Pacioretty's return to Montreal on Saturday, the Canadiens' former captain refuted Molson's statement.

"I don’t agree with that," Pacioretty said. "Heated conversations like that could get taken in different ways. I don’t believe that that’s what I said and I’ll just leave it at that."

The Pacioretty trade had long been rumored before he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 9 in exchange for forward Tomas Tatar, prospect Nick Suzuki, and a second-round pick. Pacioretty said he was well aware the trade was being discussed.

"I knew there was a very likely chance I was going to get traded," Pacioretty said of his awkward interactions with Bergevin and Molson at his charity golf tournament just before the trade. "You try to not let it affect you. I’m a guy though, that’s very incapable of hiding things. (I’m a) pretty honest person where if something is bothering me, most people around me know, and maybe that led to that awkwardness."

Pacioretty's tenure in Sin City is off to a slow start, as he had recorded just two goals and zero assists in 12 games entering Saturday night.