Long-time NHL defenseman Mark Pysyk is heading overseas for the first time. According to a team announcement, Pysyk has signed a one-year contract with Saimaan Pallo, known as SaiPa, in the Finnish Liiga.
The Buffalo Sabres selected Pysyk with the 23rd overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft from the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings although he wouldn’t make his NHL debut for another few years. He spent two years serving as the Oil Kings’ captain collecting 25 goals and 125 points in 243 games over five years with the Major Junior program.
He wouldn’t become a consistent member of the Sabres until his sophomore campaign during the 2013-14 season scoring one goal and seven points in 44 contests. Throughout his four years in Buffalo, Pysyk primarily served as a bottom-pairing defenseman averaging 17:24 of ice time over 125 games.
Pysyk proved to be a legitimate talent in a defensive role during his last season with the Sabres managing a 91.7% on-ice save percentage in all situations and a 51.8% CorsiFor%. Believing they could utilize Pysyk’s talents, the Florida Panthers traded Dmitry Kulikov and a 2016 second-round draft pick (Rasmus Asplund) to Buffalo on the second day of that year’s draft.
His time in Sunrise would prove to be the best years of his career. In four seasons Pysyk scored 17 goals and 62 points in 292 games while averaging an impressive 90.6% on-ice save percentage in all situations despite starting in the defensive zone 62.3% of the time.
Because of the depth of Florida’s blue line at the time, Pysyk saw his role slowly diminish. By the time he got to his fourth season with the Panthers organization Pysyk had seen his average ice time drop from 18:34 to 12:45.
Then began a period of migration for Pysyk. He signed three consecutive one-year deals with the Dallas Stars, Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings although he would never play for the latter after tearing his Achilles tendon. He spent last year in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Calgary Wranglers collecting four assists in 37 games.
Coincidentally, this isn’t the first time SaiPa has poached an NHL veteran this week. The organization signed goaltender Michael Hutchinson only a few days ago to a similar one-year agreement. SaiPa has earned 11 wins through the first 21 games of the season and currently sits fourth overall in the league standings.