Well, after a solid preseason, the Maple Leafs have rewarded Pacioretty with a contract. In fact, it was recently revealed that Steven Lorentz would also get a contract. Of course, Lorentz just came off of a Stanley Cup-winning season with the Florida Panthers. While he didn't exactly contribute a whole lot, he still has a ring.
According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Pacioretty deal is an interesting one. He will make over $800K this year. Meanwhile, he also has games played bonuses that could exceed $600K. However, this will circumvent this year's salary cap and will only count next season.
Needless to say, the Leafs are doing everything to make sure they can have the best roster possible without going over the salary cap. That is going to be easier said than done but it seems like for now, they are in the clear.