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For Chase Pietila, it was time.
Pietila, a 21-year-old Howell native, figured he would progress more as a hockey player by taking the Pittsburgh Penguins up on their offer to turn pro than by staying at Michigan Tech for another season.
Pietila, who was selected by the Penguins in the fourth round of last year’s National Hockey League draft, signed a three-year entry-level contract with Pittsburgh with two seasons of college eligibility remaining.
“I talked to the staff and my advisor and it would be best for my development,” said Pietila, a 6-foot-2, 187-pound defenseman. “I love Tech, loved being there. They helped me a lot. I feel the facilities and all the help you can get at the pro level would just help me develop into the player I could be in the future. I thought the developmental path would help me more with all their resources.”
The plans were already in place for Pietila to turn pro late in Tech’s season. He signed one day after the Huskies’ season ended in the first round of the CCHA playoffs at Bowling Green.
“Obviously, it’s not the end I wanted, losing in the first round of the playoffs,” he said. “Other than that, I felt I made a good step in the right direction as a player and I just feel like I was ready to leave.”
RELATED:Rick Gadwa resigns as coach of Hartland hockey program he built into state power
RELATED:Joey Larson becomes first Hartland HS player to sign with NHL team
Pietila played two games for the Penguins’ top affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, before a logjam on defense necessitated moving him to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
He has one assist in three games with Wheeling.
“I went (to the AHL) right after college,” Pietila said. “They’ve got a pretty loaded ‘D’ corps right now. They’ve got 10 ‘D’ or so. A lot of them are right-handed. They sent me here to play some games, just get some pro reps in.
“I’m just getting into every situation, just trying to adjust and get those pro reps in and getting used to the pro lifestyle and playing in pro games. I’m just being a two-way ‘D’ man, trying to defend the best I can and add offense when I can.”
Wheeling, W. Va. is a long way from Michigan Tech or Howell, but there’s a sense of family being on the same team with older brother Logan, a forward who has spent the season with the Nailers.
His presence, and the fact Pietila participated in Pittsburgh’s development camp last summer with many of Wheeling’s players, has eased the transition from college to pro hockey.
“Playing with him on the pro level is a lot of fun,” Pietila said. “I’m still by family, so it doesn’t feel like I’m too far from home. It’s nice coming to the locker room and seeing some familiar faces. I knew some of them from camp. Having Logan to show me around and show me how it works, I’m not going in blind.”
Pietila had seven goals and 15 assists in 36 games with Tech as a sophomore, giving him 10 goals and 34 assists in 76 career college games.
Contact Bill Khan at [email protected]. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell's Chase Pietila leaves Michigan Tech to sign with Penguins
Continue reading...
Pietila, a 21-year-old Howell native, figured he would progress more as a hockey player by taking the Pittsburgh Penguins up on their offer to turn pro than by staying at Michigan Tech for another season.
Pietila, who was selected by the Penguins in the fourth round of last year’s National Hockey League draft, signed a three-year entry-level contract with Pittsburgh with two seasons of college eligibility remaining.
“I talked to the staff and my advisor and it would be best for my development,” said Pietila, a 6-foot-2, 187-pound defenseman. “I love Tech, loved being there. They helped me a lot. I feel the facilities and all the help you can get at the pro level would just help me develop into the player I could be in the future. I thought the developmental path would help me more with all their resources.”
The plans were already in place for Pietila to turn pro late in Tech’s season. He signed one day after the Huskies’ season ended in the first round of the CCHA playoffs at Bowling Green.
“Obviously, it’s not the end I wanted, losing in the first round of the playoffs,” he said. “Other than that, I felt I made a good step in the right direction as a player and I just feel like I was ready to leave.”
RELATED:Rick Gadwa resigns as coach of Hartland hockey program he built into state power
RELATED:Joey Larson becomes first Hartland HS player to sign with NHL team
Pietila played two games for the Penguins’ top affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, before a logjam on defense necessitated moving him to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.
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He has one assist in three games with Wheeling.
“I went (to the AHL) right after college,” Pietila said. “They’ve got a pretty loaded ‘D’ corps right now. They’ve got 10 ‘D’ or so. A lot of them are right-handed. They sent me here to play some games, just get some pro reps in.
“I’m just getting into every situation, just trying to adjust and get those pro reps in and getting used to the pro lifestyle and playing in pro games. I’m just being a two-way ‘D’ man, trying to defend the best I can and add offense when I can.”
Wheeling, W. Va. is a long way from Michigan Tech or Howell, but there’s a sense of family being on the same team with older brother Logan, a forward who has spent the season with the Nailers.
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His presence, and the fact Pietila participated in Pittsburgh’s development camp last summer with many of Wheeling’s players, has eased the transition from college to pro hockey.
“Playing with him on the pro level is a lot of fun,” Pietila said. “I’m still by family, so it doesn’t feel like I’m too far from home. It’s nice coming to the locker room and seeing some familiar faces. I knew some of them from camp. Having Logan to show me around and show me how it works, I’m not going in blind.”
Pietila had seven goals and 15 assists in 36 games with Tech as a sophomore, giving him 10 goals and 34 assists in 76 career college games.
Contact Bill Khan at [email protected]. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell's Chase Pietila leaves Michigan Tech to sign with Penguins
Continue reading...
