THUNDER BAY – Two years ago, Tom Pyatt wasn’t sure he’d ever skate in the National Hockey League again.
Coming off a second season in Switzerland, he was OK with the idea of playing a few more seasons overseas before hanging up his blades for good.
But then the Ottawa Senators came a-calling.
It was just the resurrection Pyatt’s career needed.
Now 31, the veteran forward played in 163 of the 164 games played the past two campaigns, eclipsing the 20-point mark both years, the only two times he’s managed the feat in an NHL career that dates back to 2009-10, when he broke into the league with Montreal.
“I was never sure if I was going to be back in the NHL,” the soft-spoken Pyatt said.
“I was OK with that. Playing in Europe was a great thing. I went over there with a great attitude knowing I wanted to come back to the NHL. The Senators gave me that opportunity and I was very grateful for that.”
He’s likely one of the few players happy to be in the nation’s capital, where turmoil on and off the ice surrounded the team from Day 1 last season.
Whether it was owner Eugene Melnyk threatening to move the franchise – comments he later walked back – the controversy surrounding former teammate Mike Hoffman and all-star defenceman Erik Karlsson, the ongoing Karlsson trade rumours, or the Sens finishing with the second-worst record in the NHL, it wasn’t easy playing in Ottawa.
He found a way to deal with it.
“It can be tough, but you have to avoid the news articles,” Pyatt said, choosing his words carefully. “Obviously you’re going to hear about some things. There’s not much I can control. I just have to be prepared for next year and be professional and try to help out the team to have a better year next year.
“No one wants to go through that again. We didn’t have a lot of wins and it was a long, gruelling season too. We just want to get on the winning side again and just be more consistent.”
Signed to a two-year, $2.2 million contract prior to the 2017-18 campaign, Pyatt is heading toward unrestricted free agency in 2019 and knows he needs a good season to convince either the Senators or another team to extend his NHL career.
“It’s a big year for me. I’d like to play a few more years in the NHL and professional hockey too. I’ve got to perform and show them I can still play at a high level. I have a lot to play for and I’m ready for the season.”
Pyatt, whose father Nelson and older brother Taylor also played in the NHL, says he's yet to begin any contract talks with Ottawa, and hopes a strong start can spur discussions along.
For his career he has 43 goals and 99 points in 408 appearances.
