It was no secret that the Sabres had a surplus of defenseman during this past season. It’s part of the reason Marco Scandella was traded and Zach Bogosian was waived.
Now, a report has surfaced that says Lawrence Pilut is considering taking his game elsewhere.
Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut is reportedly leaving for the KHL. Pilut is a pending restricted free agent. https://t.co/fp6MzFD778
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) May 27, 2020
Pilut was soon to be a restricted free agent, and only at 24 years old, the Sabres could see him develop into a solid 2nd or 3rd-line defender.
The Sabres do have him under contract until June 30, so they can still re-sign him as long as he’s interested. Some have said that the Sabres are promising Pilut a top-4 role if he stays with the club.
The Sabres' understanding is that Lawrence Pilut has signed with a KHL team — but there is an NHL out-clause in that contract.
The Sabres plan on maintaining his rights.So spit-balling: If the KHL starts before the NHL, Pilut could play in Russia then come back to Buffalo. https://t.co/zZKqwusgYX
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) May 27, 2020
Pilut played 46 games for the Sabres over the past two years, scoring one goal and five assists over that time.
This isn’t just about losing a potentially good defenseman. It’s about something more as several players made their displeasures known over the last season, and it’s something that’s starting to be more frequent. If he does end up staying, it could work out, though.