Taylor Pyatt

Taylor William Pyatt (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he played major-junior with the Sudbury Wolves. He has previously played for the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks in the NHL.

Playing career
Pyatt played three seasons, beginning in 1997–98, with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). After putting up 75 points in 68 games in his second OHL season, Pyatt was selected eighth overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. The next season, his third and final with Sudbury, Pyatt scored 89 points in 68 games, earning OHL First All-Star Team honours.

In 2000–01, Pyatt made the final cut out of the Islanders' training camp as the only player with no prior NHL experience. He scored his first NHL goal on November 27, 2000, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After Pyatt's rookie season, in which he netted 18 points in 78 games, the Islanders sent him to the Buffalo Sabres with Tim Connolly for Selke Trophy winner Mike Peca in a draft-day trade.

During the 2004–05 lockout, Pyatt went overseas to play for Hammarby IF of Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan league.

After four seasons with Buffalo, on July 14, 2006, Pyatt was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round draft pick in 2007 (later traded by Buffalo to the Calgary Flames). Pyatt benefitted from playing on the Canucks' top line with twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin, leading to career highs in goals and points, with 23 and 37 respectively.

During the 2007–08 season, on January 13, 2008, Pyatt took a stick to the face. Getting in the way of an Eric Brewer clearing attempt in a game against the St. Louis Blues, he required 25 stitches in his upper lip and a splint in his mouth to hold up his teeth. He wore a full face shield upon his return to the lineup elected to wear a visor for the rest of his Vancouver tenure. Despite being taken off the Canucks top line with the Sedins during the season, Pyatt completed the campaign matching his career-high of 37 points, as well as setting a new career mark for assists with 21. The next season, in 2008–09, Pyatt was sidelined for eight games due to a foot injury suffered on December 17, 2008. He then took a leave of absence from the team after his fiancée, Carly Bragnalo, was killed in a car accident on April 2, 2009. Following an injury to Pavol Demitra during the playoffs, he made his return to the lineup on May 5 for game three of the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks. Following the Canucks' second round elimination, it was revealed that Pyatt required off-season surgery to his knee.

Phoenix Coyotes
After not being re-signed by the Canucks, Pyatt became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2009. Two months later, Pyatt signed a one-year, $600,000 contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. Going into his first season with the Coyotes, Pyatt suffered a lower body injury during training camp and missed the team's first five regular season games. One month after returning to the Coyotes' lineup, he and younger brother Tom Pyatt of the Montreal Canadiens played against each other for the first time in their careers. On December 23, 2009, as the Coyotes played their final game before the NHL Christmas break versus the Anaheim Ducks, Pyatt scored the second goal of the game, recording the 200th point of his NHL career. Near the end of the regular season, Pyatt recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche after scoring a goal, recording an assist, and getting into a fight. The Coyotes defeated the Avalanche 6–2 and clinched their first playoff berth in seven seasons. Pyatt finished the regular season with twelve goals and 23 points in 74 games played. In the playoffs, he scored one goal and recorded one assist as the Coyotes were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinals by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.

On June 21, 2010, Pyatt was re-signed to a two-year, $2 million contract, avoiding unrestricted free agency. In his second season with the Coyotes, Pyatt began scoring more frequently than in his previous season. However, on December 20, 2010, in a 6–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pyatt suffered an upper body injury during a fight with Penguins enforcer Deryk Engelland and was subsequently placed on the Coyotes' injured reserve list. After missing four games, he returned to the lineup for the Coyotes New Year's Eve game versus the St. Louis Blues.

Personal life
Pyatt is one of three sons of Kathie and former NHL player Nelson Pyatt. His younger brother by six years, Tom Pyatt, is also an NHL player, currently of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Pyatt was engaged to Carly Marie Bragnalo; the couple planned to wed in the summer of 2009. However, on April 2, 2009, his fiancee was killed in a car accident while vacationing in Jamaica.

Transactions

 * June 26, 1999 – Drafted in the first round, eighth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
 * June 24, 2001 – Traded by the New York Islanders with Tim Connolly to the Buffalo Sabres for Michael Peca.
 * July 14, 2006 – Traded by the Buffalo Sabres to the Vancouver Canucks for the Canucks' fourth round selection (later traded to the Calgary Flames — Keith Aulie) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
 * September 2, 2009 – Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes.