Garrett Pilon

Lore & Background

Pilon played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Kamloops Blazers and Everett Silvertips. He was traded from Kamloops to Everett in January 2018 and helped the Silvertips reach the WHL final, where they lost to the Swift Current Broncos. He was named WHL player of the month for April 2018. After signing an entry-level contract with the Capitals in March 2017, he spent most of his professional career with their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, winning the Calder Cup with them in 2023. He scored the overtime winner in game five of the 2023 Calder Cup finals, the only goal of the game, giving the Bears a 3–2 series lead; they won the championship in game seven.

Reader's Guide

Pilon's significance to the Capitals lies in his development as a depth forward drafted in the third round. He appeared in three NHL games for Washington, scoring his first career goal against the Anaheim Ducks on November 16, 2021. He was recalled twice during the 2021–22 season, once after Lars Eller contracted COVID-19, and was leading the Hershey Bears in points at the time of his recall. In his final season with the organization (2022–23), he was called up in November 2022 due to injuries to Beck Malenstyn and T. J. Oshie but did not play. He left the Capitals as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2023, signing with the Ottawa Senators. His legacy within the Capitals system includes being named Hershey's rookie of the year in 2018–19 and contributing to the Bears' 2023 Calder Cup championship.

Did You Know?

• Pilon was born in Mineola, New York while his father, Rich, played for the New York Islanders.
• He was named captain of the Belleville Senators in October 2024.