Scott Wilson (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

Wilson began his junior career with the Georgetown Raiders in the 2008–09 season, playing seven games and scoring one point. The following season he played all 56 games, finishing with 67 points. In the 2010–11 season he scored 61 points in 42 games. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and completed his junior season for UMass Lowell in 2014.

At UMass Lowell, Wilson was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year after finishing second in team scoring with 38 points in the 2011–12 season. In his sophomore year, he tied for the team lead in goals (16) and scoring (38 points) and led the team in power-play goals (6) and game-winning goals (5). The River Hawks won their first Hockey East regular season and tournament titles, and reached the Frozen Four for the first time in program history.

Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in April 2014 and spent time with their AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He made his NHL debut on December 2, 2014, playing 4:21 before suffering a leg injury. He scored his first NHL goal on February 18, 2016, against Petr Mrazek of the Detroit Red Wings. He earned a Stanley Cup ring in 2016 despite missing the end of the season with a lower-body injury, and his name was engraved on the Cup in 2017.

Reader's Guide

Scott Wilson's career is notable for his journey from a seventh-round draft pick to a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His path included a standout college career at UMass Lowell, where he helped transform a program that had won only five games the year before his arrival into a Hockey East champion and Frozen Four participant. Wilson's professional trajectory included a brief stint with the Detroit Red Wings after being traded in October 2017, followed by a trade to the Buffalo Sabres in December 2017. After missing the first half of the 2018–19 season with an ankle injury, he was placed on waivers and reassigned to the AHL. He later signed a two-way contract with the Florida Panthers in October 2020 but was limited to eight games with their AHL affiliate due to injury. His career continues in the KHL with SKA Saint Petersburg.

Did You Know?

• Wilson was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the seventh round, 209th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
• He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in October 2017 and then to the Buffalo Sabres in December 2017.