The Buffalo Sabres announced that defenseman Lawrence Pilut has undergone successful shoulder surgery and will miss the next five to six months.

Lawrence Pilut (@LPilut) has undergone successful shoulder surgery.

The procedure has an estimated recovery time of five to six months.

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) May 13, 2019

Lawrence Pilut To Miss At Least the First Month Of Next Season

Pilut split time between the NHL and AHL last season. He had a goal and five assists for six points in 33 games for the Sabres, while also adding 20 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 53.3 percent Corsi-for and a relative Corsi of +2.5. Pilut went up and down between the Sabres and Americans several times throughout the season. Last May, the Sabres signed Pilut as an unrestricted free agent out of HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League. He won the 2017-18 Borje Salming Trophy for Swedish Defenceman of the Year.

What This Means for Lawrence Pilut and The Sabres

This news is devastating for Pilut as he was expected to make the Sabres out of training camp and take a full-time role on the blue line. Pilut spent a majority of his time last season on the third pairing for the Sabres but could move up the lineup as he gets more experience and is more comfortable at the NHL level. His AHL numbers suggest that he has the potential to produce points and move the puck once he becomes more comfortable in the NHL.

For a more in-depth look at what the Sabres blue-line could look like next year check out Gabriel Foley’s recent article.

Brandon Montour

In other Sabres news, defenseman Brandon Montour left today’s game at the World Championships after suffering an undisclosed injury during the third period of Team Canada’s game against Slovakia. Montour had eight goals and 27 assists for 35 points last year. He spent his first two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks and was traded to the Sabres just before the NHL trade deadline. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow. Montour has 19 goals and 54 assists for 73 career points in 189 NHL games. Montour has been held off the score sheet in the first three games in the 2019 IIHF World Championships.

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