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Prospect Garrett Pilon scores playoff hat trick in WHL, finished regular season with 80 points

By Cara Bahniuk

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March 28, 2018 3:09 pm

During his last year of WHL eligibility, Capitals prospect Garrett Pilon had one heck of a season.

Pilon started his season with the Kamloops Blazers before he was traded in a blockbuster deal to the Everett Silvertips. The Silvertips wanted scoring depth as they fought to become contenders in the second half of the season. The trade was worth it, as Pilon has scored four goals in three playoff games, including a hat trick.

Pilon’s first playoff goal

Pilon’s second playoff goal

Pilon’s third playoff goal

Pilon’s fourth playoff goal

The Silvertips paid a big price, sending four forwards and two draft picks to the Blazers, but acquiring Pilon was worth it.

“Garrett has evolved into a dependable and versatile 200-foot forward who is a threatening offensive presence, makes plays on a consistent basis, and plays the game with energy,” Silvertips general manager Garry Davidson said.

The Saskatoon native is a smaller forward, standing at five-foot, ten-inches. He originally ranked 109th but ended up being picked by the Capitals off the board at 87th overall at the 2016 NHL Draft.

Pilon signed an entry-level contract with the Capitals on March 30, 2017 and later had an amateur tryout (ATO) with the Hershey Bears where he appeared in one playoff game.

Because Pilon was only 18 at the time, he returned to play another season in the WHL. (CHL rules state that if a player played in the juniors before they were drafted by the NHL, they must either be 20-years-old by December 31, or have played four years in junior, in order to play in the minors.)

When Pilon was drafted, Craig Fisher called him a “high IQ hockey player,” via Hockey’s Future HFBoards. His father, Rich Pilon, appeared in over 600 NHL games as a defenseman with the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. Rich Pilon was a heavy hitter, and Garrett doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, though it is not the most prominent feature of his game. He is a two-way center with a high-quality wrist shot, who served as a leader with the Blazers wearing the “A” during the 2017-18 season.

After putting up 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists) in 69 regular season games between two teams, Pilon should join the Hershey Bears next season and will be a welcome addition to their forward corps.

Headline Image: Cara Bahniuk