Pyatt looking forward to encore with Phoenix

No one expected the Phoenix Coyotes to become a powerhouse in 2009-10, least of all Taylor Pyatt.

Pyatt, 28, said the team’s 50-25-7 record, given the turmoil surrounding the team’s ownership, caught the hockey world by surprise, drawing attention to a team used to playing in a half-empty Jobing.com Arena.

With a new two-year, $2-million deal in his pocket, the Thunder Bay native is settling into his role as a fourth-line winger, using his size to keep the opposition at bay. He’s looking forward to the Coyotes encore in 2010-11 – though they won’t catch anyone by surprise this time around.

"To slowly build into a really good solid all-around team, to make the playoffs and to finish the season with 107 points was a pretty good accomplishment for our group," said Pyatt, who had 12 goals and 11 assists in 74 games.

"We want to build on that and become a playoff contender every year."

Phoenix was Pyatt’s chance to rebuild his hockey career, which had run its course in Vancouver, where he’d spent three seasons, meeting with mixed success. More importantly, it was a chance to rebuild his life, shattered on April 2, 2009 when his fiancée Carly Bragnalo was tragically killed in a car accident while she was vacationing with relatives in Jamaica.

"It was a chance for me to get away from things up here. It was obviously a tough year for me personally, but it was good to get down there with a new team in a new city and start fresh. It was definitely a tough transition at the start of the season. I sort of struggled a little bit on and off the ice, but the guys were really good down there and helped me through some tough stretches and I was able to move forward," Pyatt said last week.

On the ice he’d like to see his role on the team grow. Pyatt said he thinks he came on strong in the second half, scoring eight points in 18 post-Olympic games, something to build on next season.

"I (also) want to be a better leader on that team and I’m just excited about the group we have there in Phoenix and hopefully we can have a good season."

While Pyatt said the players tried to pay as little attention as possible at the ongoing ownership battle that had the Coyotes hauled into bankruptcy court, bought by the league and its future in limbo, it was always there in the background.

"We had a few meetings at the start of the season and talked about it as a group and said we’re here as a group this year, for this season, so let’s just try to make the best of it. The coaching staff did a great job having us focused night in and night out and we were able to grow as a group. All the guys really enjoyed playing down there. Hopefully the team stays and we get this ownership figured out."

It was hard for him not to keep an eye on at least one group of prospective owners.
Ice Edge Holdings, through partners Keith McCullough and Anthony LeBlanc, have close ties to his hometown Thunder Bay, a fact not lost on the nine-year veteran.

"It would be really cool to have two Thunder Bay owners and to be a part of that would be a great experience. So hopefully they can get something figured out. I haven’t heard too much in that department in the last month or so. Hopefully by training camp (something will happen)."