Born	August 19, 1981 (1981-08-19) (age 28), Thunder Bay, ON, CAN
Height Weight	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 235 lb (107 kg; 16 st 11 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team F. teams	Phoenix Coyotes Buffalo Sabres New York Islanders Vancouver Canucks
NHL Draft	8th overall, 1999 New York Islanders
Pro career	2000 – present

Taylor Nelson Pyatt (born August 19, 1981 in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes. 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.

[edit] 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 drafted 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.^[1] He scored his first NHL goal on November 27, 2000, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.^[2] 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,^[3] leading to career highs in goals and points, with 23 and 37 respectively.

Pyatt during an open practice with the Canucks in 2008.

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.^[4] He wore a full face shield upon his return to the lineup and has since elected to wear a visor. 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.^[5] 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.^[6] 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.^[7] Following the Canucks' second round elimination, it was revealed that Pyatt required off-season surgery to his knee.^[8]

Becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2009, Pyatt signed with the Phoenix Coyotes on September 2 to a one-year contract.^[9]

[edit] Awards

• Named to the OHL First All-Star Team in 2000.

[edit] Family

Pyatt is one of three sons of Kathie and former NHL player Nelson Pyatt. His younger brother, Tom Pyatt, is a prospect with the Montreal Canadiens organization, who helped Team Canada win a gold medal at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships.

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.^[6]

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Taylor Pyatt's NHL player profile
• Taylor Pyatt's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database