Buffalo Sabres Defenceman signs Contract in Europe

After coming back to the NHL in 2022-23 following a two-year stint in Russia, a defenceman with the Buffalo Sabres has decided to leave North America once again. According to HC Lausanne of the Swiss National League, Lawrence Pilut has signed a two-year deal with the team. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Pilut was never drafted into the NHL. He signed a two-year entry-level contract with Buffalo as a free agent in 2018 following a breakout season with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He would spend most of the two years in the AHL, although he did manage 33 NHL games in 2018-19. After that contract ran out, he played two seasons for Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL, but returned to Buffalo on a one-year, two-way deal for 2022-23. He played another 17 games for the Sabres, brining his total NHL games to 63, with two goals and seven assists.

Pilut was born in Sweden. However, his father is an American hockey player who spent all of his pro career playing in that country.