Lawrence Pilut

May 2022 – Giving up on the NHL, Pilut has found a home in the KHL as a depth defenseman and he appears to be staying there. If he can translate the offense he showed earlier in his career, then NHL interest will spark up again. But for now, it’s time to close the book on Pilut in fantasy hockey. – Dobber

December 2020 – Pilut joined Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL at the start of the 2020-2021 hockey season and currently has two goals and 16 points in 32 games with the club. After choosing to walk away from the Sabres organization as an RFA, there is very little certainty about the future NHL plans of the 24-year-old former SHL and AHL star. The Sabres pitched a qualifying offer to him on October 7, 2020, thereby securing his rights for three additional seasons. While he continues to successfully showcase his abilities at every level just below the NHL tier, he was unable to secure a role with the Sabres in 2019-2020. He will be 26-years-old when he is next eligible to rejoin the Sabres organization in 2022, if he chooses to do so. Kevin Wong

August 2020 – Pilut completed his 2019-2020 AHL season with six goals and 23 points in 37 games. He also played 13 games with the Buffalo Sabres with an average TOI of 16:14 per game. However, he did not produce any points during his brief stint with the Sabres. At the conclusion of the season, he opted to sign a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. The Sabres may retain his RFA rights for three more seasons as long as they issue a qualifying offer to him. There is no certainty as to whether Pilut will return to the Sabres organization in two seasons or if he will even attempt to play in the NHL again. He is 24 years old. Kevin Wong

January 2020 – Lawrence Pilut is having a solid campaign with the Rochester Americans. His scoring rate is not as good as last season, but he is still producing at a consistent rate. In 29 games, Pilut has tallied five goals and 16 assists. Recently, he was up with the Sabres for six games but was sent down prior to the All-Star break. Pilut will get some more AHL games under his belt and perhaps could be called back up after the break. From a fantasy perspective, I would hold off on adding Pilut at this time. In his NHL stints, he has not been producing in the offensive zone. Josh Tessler

July 2019 – Last season, Pilut got his first taste of the NHL. He appeared in 33 games with the Sabres, but his offensive production did not translate from the AHL to the NHL. In the AHL, he could not be stopped. Pilut is one of the more dominant passers on the Rochester Americans and he proved that this past season with 22 assists in 30 games in the AHL. When the Swede was up with the Sabres he notched 5 assists. If Pilut had seen time on the Sabres’ power-play unit, then his numbers would have been higher, but that was not the case. Aside from his offensive production, his skating did improve last season. His positioning has improved as well. The one draw back on Pilut is that he is not a physical specimen. He is purely an offensive defenseman, and seems to be a tad skittish about laying down a hit. In his locker clean up interview, he told the Americans’ off-ice reporter that he wants to bulk up this off-season. If he comes to camp a bit bigger, he might be less timid in the defensive zone and could be open to engaging in more puck battles. He will likely be in Rochester to open up the 2019-2020 season, but could come up to the NHL level if he shows that his physicality has improved. Josh Tessler

March 2019 – After a December call-up to Buffalo, Pilut has since struggled to stick in the Sabres lineup, being a healthy scratch some games, and getting bottom-pair minutes for others. He has a goal and six points in his 25 games with the Sabres. February 23rd, after a string of press box sittings, Buffalo assigned Pilut down to Rochester to play with the Americans as it seems the best path for his development right now. In his seven games since returning to the AHL, Pilut has scored a goal and added two assists. Hopefully he can get back on track and finish the season on a strong note to carry into the 2019-2020 season. Marcus Griep

December 2018 – Pilut had exploded in the AHL for 22 points in only 16 games before earning a call-up to the Sabres. He lead Rochester in points and registered 19 assists. Since his recall, Pilut has put up two points in five games with Buffalo and played his way into solidifying a spot with the team. Marcus Griep

May 2018 – Lawrence Pilut has signed a two-year entry level contract with the Sabres. Although his HV71 team was quickly eliminated from the SHL playoffs this year, Pilut led all SHL defensemen during the regular season with 38 points in 52 games and was named SHL Defenseman of the Year.  Jokke Nevalainen

March 2018 – Lawrence Pilut is at the top of the SHL defenseman scoring race with 37 points in 49 games, and he’s also leading his team in points. Pilut won the SHL Championship last season with HV71, and they’re on their way to the playoffs again this season. The 22-year-old Pilut is an offense-minded defenseman who plays big minutes in all situations. His skating is good but not great. He’s not a very physical player but uses his smarts to play a solid defensive game. He doesn’t have a heavy shot but is good at finding open lanes to get pucks to the net. Pilut should have multiple NHL offers on his table once his season is over because he’s one of the most interesting free agents available. He could start next season in the NHL if he can quickly adjust to the smaller rink size after only playing in Sweden so far in his career.  Jokke Nevalainen