With the 2019-20 NAHL Season coming to an abrupt and unexpected end, the Austin Bruins are taking this time to thank the players whose junior careers wrapped up this season. TJ Chillot takes you through each of the 1999-born players who finished the season on the Austin roster and what they brought to the Bruins both on the ice and off. In addition, TJ looks ahead to see what’s on the horizon for these incredibly talented hockey players. #OnceABruinAlwaysABruin
Thank you, Chase Pilawski!
Chase Pilawski feels like one of those guys who’s been a Bruin for decades, but when you look at the numbers, he’s actually only played 55 games with the Bruins over two seasons. It’s a testatment to how much of an impact he made on the ice while here in Austin.
Pilawski’s career began in the USHL in 2016-17 where he spent the entire season with two different teams, Waterloo and Tri-City. From there, he started the 2017-18 season with Madison before descending onto Austin where his NAHL career began. In 40 games, Pilawski totalled 17 points (4G, 13) helping the Bruins to the post-season. His play that season earned him another call-up to the USHL in 2018-19 where he spent the entire year.
Pilawski would compete for the Green Bay Gamblers in 2018-19 and start 2019-20 in Lincoln before returning to the black-and-gold mid-season. The Lutz, FL, native dressed in 15 games for the Bruins this season, registering four assists in the process.
Chase had quite the story when he arrived in Austin this past season. I remember him showing up just a day or two before the team left for Cloquet at the end of December. He played in Friday night’s game and was a bullet on the ice, seemed to be everywhere defensively. On Saturday, he was scratched from the lineup with an illness. During the day on Saturday, I remember walking onto the bus before the team lunch and seeing Chase wearing a paper facemask and waiting to be taken to the urgent-care for treatment. He bounced back the following weekend and registered his first point of the season in the NAHL against Bismarck on January 3rd.
Though he was plagued by injury toward the end of the season and was primed to come back before the playoffs, like the rest of the team and league his season was cut short. Originally a commit of Lake Superior State, Pilawski de-committed and is searching for his next chapter.
He was one of the quieter guys on the team and is very independent and mature. His years of competition at both the NAHL and USHL levels honed him into a player primed for the collegiate level, both on the ice and in the way he handles himself.
We can’t wait to see what’s in store for Chase Pilawski!
Chase Pilawski
55 Games Played, 4 Goals, 17 Assists, -5, 42 PIM
