Islanders prospect Pilon leaves junior team, coach says he's 'lost his passion to play hockey'

The Brandon Wheat Kings received unexpected news Friday.

Ryan Pilon, 19, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders, is leaving the team for personal reasons, coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced Friday.

"Ryan came to me this week and told me that at this time he has lost his passion to play hockey and will be leaving the team," McCrimmon stated. "We had a number of discussions, but his final decision was that this was what he felt he needed to do."

Pilon had appeared in 193 regular season games for the WHL's Wheat Kings and Lethbridge Hurricanes, scoring 23 goals and adding 93 assists.

The Wheat Kings finished 2014-15 with a league-high 114 points, and are expected to challenge for the Ed Chynoweth Cup after getting swept in the final round of the playoffs this past spring.