The Sherwood Park, Alberta, native is instinctive player who reads the ice well and at his best setting up a breakout from his own end or an entry into the offensive end.

Those abilities prompted Edmonton, in its inaugural season in the Western Hockey League, to make Pysyk the No. 3 pick in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. After three seasons, Pysyk was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 23 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.

Pysyk played two more seasons for Edmonton, winning the WHL title in 2012, and played 57 games for Rochester of the American Hockey League before making his NHL debut for the Sabres against the Washington Capitals on March 17, 2013.

Pysyk got his first NHL point, an assist, during a 4-1 Sabres win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 2, 2013 and scored his first NHL goal during an 8-4 loss to the New York Rangers on April 19, 2013.

Pysyk scored five goals and 26 points in 125 games with the Sabres before being traded to the Florida Panthers on June 25, 2016. He scored his first NHL hat trick on three shots in Florida's 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 3, 2020.