Taylor Pyatt Taylor William Pyatt ( born August 19 , 1981 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) , he played major - junior with the Sudbury Wolves . He has previously played for the New York Islanders , Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks in the NHL . Playing career . Pyatt played three seasons , beginning in 1997 – 98 , with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) . After putting up 75 points in 68 games in his second OHL season , Pyatt was selected eighth overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders . The next season , his third and final with Sudbury , Pyatt scored 89 points in 68 games , earning OHL First All - Star Team honours . In 2000 – 01 , Pyatt made the final cut out of the Islanders ' training camp as the only player with no prior NHL experience . He scored his first NHL goal on November 27 , 2000 , against the Tampa Bay Lightning . After Pyatt ' s rookie season , in which he netted 18 points in 78 games , the Islanders sent him to the Buffalo Sabres with Tim Connolly for Selke Trophy winner Mike Peca in a draft - day trade . During the 2004 – 05 lockout , Pyatt went overseas to play for Hammarby IF of Sweden ' s HockeyAllsvenskan league . After four seasons with Buffalo , on July 14 , 2006 , Pyatt was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth - round draft pick in 2007 ( later traded by Buffalo to the Calgary Flames ) . Pyatt benefitted from playing on the Canucks ' top line with twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin , leading to career highs in goals and points , with 23 and 37 respectively . During the 2007 – 08 season , on January 13 , 2008 , Pyatt took a stick to the face . Getting in the way of an Eric Brewer clearing attempt in a game against the St . Louis Blues , he required 25 stitches in his upper lip and a splint in his mouth to hold up his teeth . He wore a full face shield upon his return to the lineup elected to wear a visor for the rest of his Vancouver tenure . Despite being taken off the Canucks top line with the Sedins during the season , Pyatt completed the campaign matching his career - high of 37 points , as well as setting a new career mark for assists with 21 . The next season , in 2008 – 09 , Pyatt was sidelined for eight games due to a foot injury suffered on December 17 , 2008 . He then took a leave of absence from the team after his fiancée , Carly Bragnalo , was killed in a car accident on April 2 , 2009 . Following an injury to Pavol Demitra during the playoffs , he made his return to the lineup on May 5 for game three of the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks . Following the Canucks ' second round elimination , it was revealed that Pyatt required off - season surgery to his knee . Phoenix Coyotes . After not being re - signed by the Canucks , Pyatt became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 , 2009 . Two months later , Pyatt signed a one - year , $ 600 , 000 contract with the Phoenix Coyotes . Going into his first season with the Coyotes , Pyatt suffered a lower body injury during training camp and missed the team ' s first five regular season games . One month after returning to the Coyotes ' lineup , he and younger brother Tom Pyatt of the Montreal Canadiens played against each other for the first time in their careers . On December 23 , 2009 , as the Coyotes played their final game before the NHL Christmas break versus the Anaheim Ducks , Pyatt scored the second goal of the game , recording the 200th point of his NHL career . Near the end of the regular season , Pyatt recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche after scoring a goal , recording an assist , and getting into a fight . The Coyotes defeated the Avalanche 6 – 2 and clinched their first playoff berth in seven seasons . Pyatt finished the regular season with twelve goals and 23 points in 74 games played . In the playoffs , he scored one goal and recorded one assist as the Coyotes were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinals by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games . On June 21 , 2010 , Pyatt was re - signed to a two - year , $ 2 million contract , avoiding unrestricted free agency . In his second season with the Coyotes , Pyatt began scoring more frequently than in his previous season . However , on December 20 , 2010 , in a 6 – 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins , Pyatt suffered an upper body injury during a fight with Penguins enforcer Deryk Engelland and was subsequently placed on the Coyotes ' injured reserve list . After missing four games , he returned to the lineup for the Coyotes New Year ' s Eve game versus the St . Louis Blues . Personal life . Pyatt is one of three sons of Kathie and former NHL player Nelson Pyatt . His younger brother by six years , Tom Pyatt , is also an NHL player , currently of the Tampa Bay Lightning . Pyatt was engaged to Carly Marie Bragnalo ; the couple planned to wed in the summer of 2009 . However , on April 2 , 2009 , his fiancee was killed in a car accident while vacationing in Jamaica .