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Pilut Cleared For Takeoff

November 30, 2018, 4:45 PM ET [7 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
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As I predicted earlier today, defenseman Lawrence Pilut will make his NHL debut tonight for teh Buffalo Sabres.


Pilut will skate for the injutred Jake McCabe, who is listed as day-to-day after getting dinged in the Sabres' 5-4 loss at Tampa on Thursday night.






Pilut, 22, was recalled to Buffalo from AHL Rochester on Wednesday due to an injury to veteran Marco Scandella. Nathan Beaulieu skated in place of Scandella against San Jose and Tampa. Earlier in teh day on Friday, Scandella and Conor Sheary were place on injured reserve. Patrik Berglund was also activated off IR.

When McCabe was banged up on Thursday night, it signaled to me that Pilut would have to skate in Sunrise tonight against the Florida Panthers.

The slick puck moving Pilut is a left shot D. McCabe, Scandella and Beaulieu are also lefties. If McCabe can’t play against the Cats, Pilut will make his NHL debut.


Pilut is currently tied for third among all AHL skaters with 22 points (3G,19A) in his first 16 career AHL games and leads the league with a +19 rating.

The Tingsryd, Sweden native signed with the Sabres as a free agent in May following a career year with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League that culminated in his selection as the 2017-18 SHL Defenseman of the Year.


Pilut made very strong first impression with Sabres coaches and management at development camp in July. He is a sensational skater with tremendous vision, high hockey IQ and exceptional puck skills. At the Buffalo-hosted Prospects Challenge in September, Pilut was a standout performer in games against the top prospects of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and new Jersey Devils. Pilut did not disappoint in the exhibition games that he played in.


Pilut is ready for prime time and will add immediate value to Buffalo's second unit power play as well as at even strength.










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