In a somewhat surprising turn of events, the Buffalo Sabres announced today that Lawrence Pilut and Rasmus Asplund have been assigned to the Rochester Amerks. For Asplund, this move was expected once the forward ranks got healthier. After posting only three points in 29 games during his initial call-up, having him spend the remainder on the year in the AHL seems like a wise decision.
As for Pilut, he once again falls victim to a numbers game that features inferior veteran talents that the team seems hell-bent on keeping. It was bothersome to see the 24-year-old spend the first half of the season in Rochester, but having him get sent back down after a very strong 10-game stretch is rather infuriating. While he hasn’t found the score sheet, he’s served as a very strong transition asset while providing excellent defensive play in his own zone.
Rather than let a young asset on an expiring contract finish the season in the NHL and prove his value as a piece of the top-six next season, fans will be treated to a broken-down Zach Bogosian and a vastly overrated Jake McCabe to hold down the fort until another injury strikes the Sabres’ defensive ranks, or Jason Botterill manages to unload an asset at the trade deadline.
On the bright side, this is good news for the Amerks who are trying to hold onto second place in the North Division. Since Pilut’s call-up, they’ve posted a record of 6-5-1, and will be happy to have a player who many feel was their best player this season.