Islanders 2015 5th-round pick defenseman Ryan Pilon has left the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League due to personal reasons. Ryan is the cousin of former Islanders defenseman Rich Pilon.
Brandon head coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced the news Friday.
"Ryan came to me this week and told me that at this time he has lost his passion to play hockey and will be leaving the team," said Kelly McCrimmon, the team's coach and general manager. We had a number of discussions, but his final decision was that this was what he felt he needed to do," he added.
Pilon was ranked 24th in the NHL's Central Scouting final rankings, but fell to 147th overall. Islanders general manager Garth Snow traded up to draft Ryan. The 18-year-old defenseman had 11 goals, 52 points and a plus 36 in 68 regular-season games last season. He was set to start his third season with the Wheat Kings and was planning to attend the Islanders training camp in a couple of weeks.
It seemed like this was a possibility even before the draft. Now we know why he fell to the 5th round.