Mark Pysyk
Pysyk with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016
Born (1992-01-11) January 11, 1992
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Defence / Right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Calgary Flames
Calgary Wranglers (AHL)
Buffalo Sabres
Florida Panthers
Dallas Stars
NHL Draft 23rd overall, 2010
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 2012–present

Mark Alexander Terrance Pysyk[1] (/ˈpɛsɪk/ PESS-ick; born January 11, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and forward for the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League while under contract to the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Pysyk was originally selected in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.[2]

Personal life

Pysyk was born on January 11, 1992,[3] to Ukrainian parents Sherry and Terry. His mother is a nurse at University of Alberta Hospitals and his father is a vice-principal.[1] Born in Edmonton, Pysyk and his family moved to Sherwood Park while he was in the third grade. As such, Pysyk played his minor hockey in the Sherwood Park program.[4]

Playing career

Amateur

While competing in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) for the 2006–07 season with the Strathcona Warriors, Pysyk recorded 15 goals and 49 points in 33 games and was the co-recipient of the league's top defenceman award.[5] At the age of 15, Pysyk became the first-ever draft pick of the current incarnation of the Edmonton Oil Kings when he was selected third overall in the 2007 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft.[6] Due to his age, he would only be able to play with the team as an affiliate player for the 2007–08 season.[5] He began the season with the AMBHL but was told by Oil Kings head coach Steve Pleau he would make his WHL debut after the Christmas break. Pysyk subsequently made his debut on December 28, 2007, against the Red Deer Rebels.[7] In his second game since being called up from Midget AAA, Pysyk was working with the powerplay unit and recorded his first WHL assist.[8]

Pysyk recorded his first career WHL goal on March 8, 2008, in a 4–1 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings, helping the team maintain their 20–37-4 record.[9] After concluding his first full season with the Oil Kings, Pysyk was the recipient of two team end-of-year awards: Rookie of the Year and Defenceman of the Year.[10]

Pysyk returned to the Oil Kings for the 2009–10 season, where the team had the second-fewest points in the league. He played 48 games before being sidelined with a broken foot but still ended the season eighth on the team in scoring. His efforts were recognized by Oil Kings GM Bob Green, who said: "He carried our team on his back a lot of nights this winter, and the fact that he played on a broken foot for a couple of games before he was forced to end his season early shows how much character he's developed."[11] At the end of the season, Pysyk was ranked seventh among North American skaters for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[12] He was eventually selected in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Buffalo Sabres.[13] Following his draft, Sabres' director of amateur scouting proposed Pysyk would need three years before making his NHL debut due to his small stature and light weight.[14] After being returned to his junior team by the Sabres after training camp, Pysyk was named the captain of the Oil Kings on September 28, 2010.[15]

On May 13, 2012, Mark, along with the rest of the Edmonton Oil Kings, won game 7 of the WHL Finals, against the Portland Winter Hawks with a score of 4–1, to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup. They went on to the Memorial Cup in Shawinigan Quebec, and came in 4th.

Professional

Pysyk with the Sabres in October 2013.

In his debut professional season in 2012–13, he marked his first professional game by scoring a goal with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, on October 12, 2012. After 57 games with the Americans, Pysyk received his first NHL call-up by Buffalo midway into the shortened season. He played his first NHL game on March 17, 2013 against the Washington Capitals.[16]

On June 25, 2016, Pysyk was traded, along with picks 38 and 89 in the 2016 NHL Draft to the Florida Panthers in exchange for pick 33 in the 2016 draft and defenceman Dmitri Kulikov.[17]

In the 2019–20 season, Pysyk began the season on the blueline often in a bottom pairing role. With the depth on the Panthers defense, he was also used at the right wing at times throughout the season and responded offensively scoring his first NHL hat trick, tallying three goals on three shots to rally the Panthers to victory from a 3–1 deficit on February 3, 2020.[18] He set career highs by posting nine goals and 18 points in 58 regular-season games played for Florida.

On October 11, 2020, Pysyk signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Dallas Stars.[19] In the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, Pysyk struggled to find his role within Dallas, recording just three goals and four points through 36 games in the shortened season.

Leaving the Stars after one season, Pysyk returned to his original club, the Buffalo Sabres, agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract on July 28, 2021.[20] During the 2021–22 season her recorded three goals and nine assists in 68 games for the Sabres.

On July 14, 2022, Pysyk signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Detroit Red Wings.[21] Shortly after he was acquired by the Red Wings, the club announced that he would miss the beginning of the 2022–23 season after he suffered an Achilles Tendon tear and underwent surgery with a recovery timetable of 4–6 months.[22] Pysyk was unable to make a competitive return throughout the season, failing to make his debut with the Red Wings.

Pysyk left the Red Wings at the completion of his contract and was later signed as a free agent to a professional tryout deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins on August 30, 2023.[23] After attending training camp, Pysyk was released from his tryout with Pittsburgh, remaining un-signed into the 2023–24 season. He was later signed a PTO with AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, on November 2, 2023.[24] He went scoreless in 8 appearances with the Penguins before he was released from his tryout on November 28, 2023.

On December 2, 2023, Psysk was signed to a one-year contract by the Calgary Flames. We was later placed on waivers, and on December 3, 2023, he was assigned to the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL.[25]

International play


Pysyk as a member of Team Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships
Medal record
Representing Canada Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Canada
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
Gold medal – first place2009 Slovakia

Pysyk was invited to take part in Canada's 2011 National Junior Team selection camp, but did not make the final roster.[26] The following year, he was named to the team for the 2012 World Junior Championships, held in Alberta.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08Sherwood Park Kings AAAAMHL3410102060210116
2007–08Sherwood Park CrusadersAJHL10110—————
2007–08Edmonton Oil KingsWHL141238—————
2008–09Edmonton Oil KingsWHL61515202740002
2009–10Edmonton Oil KingsWHL487172447—————
2010–11Edmonton Oil KingsWHL63634408840006
2011–12Edmonton Oil KingsWHL57632388320381116
2012–13Rochester AmericansAHL57414182030002
2012–13Buffalo SabresNHL191450—————
2013–14Buffalo SabresNHL4416716—————
2013–14Rochester AmericansAHL311111228500014
2014–15Rochester AmericansAHL543141732—————
2014–15Buffalo SabresNHL72132—————
2015–16Buffalo SabresNHL551101132—————
2015–16Rochester AmericansAHL30112—————
2016–17Florida PanthersNHL824131710—————
2017–18Florida PanthersNHL823131620—————
2018–19Florida PanthersNHL701101126—————
2019–20Florida PanthersNHL5899182040000
2020–21Dallas StarsNHL3631420—————
2021–22Buffalo SabresNHL68391216—————
2023–24Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL80004—————
NHL totals 521 28 76 104 162 4 0 0 0 0

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2009 Canada Pacific U17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 1 3 4 6
2009 Canada IH18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4 0 2 2 2
2012 Canada WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6 0 0 0 2
Junior totals 16 1 5 6 10

References

  1. 1 2 Annicchiarico, Mario (February 9, 2009). "A day in the life of 17-year-old Oil King blue-liner Mark Pysyk". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Seven WHL players selected in 1st round of 2010 NHL draft". Western Hockey League. June 25, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Mark Pysyk". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  4. ↑ Snow, Kevin (September 17, 2013). "#BLUEPRINT SERIES: MARK PYSYK". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Petersen, Scott (May 5, 2007). "Pysyk will grow into Oil Kings jersey". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ O'Leary, Chris (September 18, 2008). "Pysyk in good position for learning experience". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Tait, Cam (December 28, 2007). "Pysyk primed for junior debut". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Tait, Cam (December 31, 2007). "Oil Kings strike early, often against Raiders". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Oil Kings trumped by Wheat Kings". Edmonton Journal. March 9, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Kings Crowned". Edmonton Journal. March 31, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "PYSYK SHOULDERED THE LOAD FOR OIL KINGS". nhl.com. National Hockey League. June 25, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  12. ↑ Morreale, Mike G. (April 7, 2010). "Seguin tops CSS's final rankings; Hall second". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  13. ↑ Matherson, Jim (June 26, 2010). "Pysyk waited so long, he needed a (bathroom) break". Edmonton Journal. p. 41. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Vogl, John (June 26, 2010). "Sabres make Pysyk first pick Defenseman has ability to skate and pass NHL Draft: Broken foot allows good prospect to fall to 23rd pick overall". Buffalo News. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  15. ↑ O'Leary, Chris (September 29, 2010). "Oil Kings name Pysyk new captain". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Sabres recall Pysyk". American Hockey League. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  17. ↑ "Sabres acquire defenseman Dmitri Kulikov in deal with Panthers". ESPN. 2016-06-25. Retrieved 2016-06-25.
  18. ↑ "Panthers' Mark Pysyk: Records first career hat trick". CBS Sports. February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Stars sign defenseman Mark Pysyk to a one-year contract". Dallas Stars. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Pysyk rejoins Sabres on a one-year contract". Buffalo Sabres. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Red Wings sign Mark Pysyk to one-year contract". NHL.com. Detroit Red Wings. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Wings' Pysyk (Achilles) out 4-6 months". The Sports Network. July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Penguins sign two defenseman to PTO's". The Hockey News Pittsburgh Penguins News, Analysis and More. The Hockey News. August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Penguins sign defenseman Mark Pysyk to PTO". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Flames sign defenceman Mark Pysyk". Calgary Flames. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Hockey Canada Selection Camp: Team Profile". Hockey Canada. 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
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