Max Pacioretty shines in embarrassing preseason loss for Leafs.

The first game of the preseason was an ugly one for the Toronto Maple Leafs who, despite icing what looked very much like a National Hockey League roster, saw themselves struggling against an Ottawa Senators roster that featured very few NHL regulars.

The Maple Leafs would give up a whopping 6 goals in what was an ugly effort on the ice, but in spite of that the game would remain relatively close thanks to an unlikely hero.

Arguably the best player on the ice last night for the Maple Leafs was veteran forward Max Pacioretty, which is less than ideal when you consider the fact that he is not currently under contract. Pacioretty is currently on a professional tryout agreement, and after his performance last night he may have drawn the attention of several teams around the league.

Despite coming off of some major injuries, Pacioretty was a major contributor on Sunday night as he was involved in 3 of the Maple Leafs 5 goals. Pacioretty would pick up 2 of those goals himself and he added an assist on top of it on his way to a 3 point night.

Pacioretty said he was nervous throughout the game, but it didn't stop him from showcasing that he still has his scoring touch.

"I definitely felt a little nervous to start. It was the most nervous I felt in pre-season since I was 20-years-old," admitted Pacioretty.

The former captain of the Montreal Canadiens was a very unlikely hero for the Maple Leafs on Sunday night and the big question now is will he be there once the regular season gets under way?

Pacioretty is currently unsigned and the Maple Leafs don't exactly have a great deal of cap flexibility. After such a strong audition in his first preseason game, you have to wonder what kind of offers Pacioretty may attract before the start of the regular season.