Welp, that sure didn’t last long. After scoring three goals in just two games with the Vegas Golden Knights, forward Brandon Pirri has been sent back down to play for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Pirri, 26, was signed to a one-year contract back in October, but has played almost exclusively in the AHL since the start of the season.
This is obviously great news for the Wolves, who currently lead the AHL’s Central Division with 87 points through 70 games. Pirri has scored 29 goals along with 22 helpers for the Wolves this season, and his return to the lineup will certainly give Chicago a boost after going winless during his brief stay in Vegas.
It was expected that Pirri would be sent back down to the minors prior to the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that doesn’t make his return to Chicago any less disappointing from a Golden Knights perspective. Pirri has established himself as a legitimate goal scorer at the NHL level. After all, it wasn’t all that long ago that he potted 22 goals in just 49 games for the Florida Panthers.
Despite his proven track record as a regular source of secondary scoring, though, it appears the Golden Knights are intent on leaving their bottom six as is.
Pirri will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it wouldn’t be much of a shock if the Golden Knights ultimately decide retain him on another cheap, short-term deal.