CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Defenseman Chase Pietila, after going undrafted in his first two years of eligibility, was expecting to hear his name called at the draft this time around after a good freshman season at Michigan Tech.
His coaches and advisor had told him to expect to get drafted anywhere in the fifth through seventh rounds. Not wanting to sit around all day watching names come across the TV screen on Day 2 of the draft on June 29, Pietila went golfing with his brother. So when he got a call from his advisor, followed by a call from Kyle Dubas to tell him that the Penguins had selected him in the fourth round, he was "a bit surprised."
"That was pretty unreal," Pietila told me at the Penguins' development camp at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. "I was super happy it was with Pittsburgh. It's a great spot, a great organization."
One of his first texts was to another brother of his -- 24-year-old Logan Pietila, a forward signed to an AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton who is also attending development camp -- to let him know that he would be joining the same organization.
"It's fun coming out here, rooming together, and just being able to share this experience together," Chase said. "So it's been a blast. (The Penguins) have been treating us unbelievable. It's been unreal."
Joe Zak / Penguins
Chase Pietila in the Penguins' development camp in Cranberry, Pa.
Pietila, 20, is a right-handed defenseman who is listed a 6 foot 3 and 188 pounds. He describes himself as a "two-way defenseman, more of a hard-nosed, hard-to-play against type of guy. Then add offense when it's needed, but for sure, a defensive guy first, and then add out from the net on."
He definitely added offense in his freshman year. He led his team's defenseman and ranked fourth overall in team scoring with three goals and 19 assists in 40 games. He led his team in assists and ranked fourth in the CCHA and eighth among all NCAA freshmen defensemen in assists.
When the Penguins drafted Pietila, director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor said Pietila "has got size, physicality, defends really well, can move the puck on the breakout and in transition," and also praised Pietila's competitiveness.
When I asked Pietila if there are any NHL defensemen he really looks up to and tries to model his game after, he had a bit of a sheepish grin before saying, "Jacob Trouba. I know a lot of guys hate him, but I love him." With Trouba as his role model, it's not surprising that his 60 penalty minutes led all NCAA freshmen.
Overall, Pietila called it a "smooth transition" adjusting to the college game after his two seasons in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms.
"It was a little bit more physical, not much faster from the USHL," he said of college hockey. "But it was pretty physical. So being able to adapt to that, I feel like I adapted pretty well."
Pietila said that moving forward he's working on his "little details" when it comes to defending better, but his skating more than anything. He's working in the gym to keep getting stronger in his legs to get more explosive and faster on the ice.
Pietila said he'd call himself a "late bloomer." He had a slow start at the junior level and moved to college hockey a little late than most prospects. And at 20, he's two years older than most of the kids getting drafted in his draft class. But now that he's in college, he's handling himself pretty well.
Even though Pietila is on the older side, he's not ready to turn pro just yet. The plan is to go back to Michigan Tech for his sophomore season.
"It's probably back to college for now and develop a little bit more. I've got a few things in my game to work on, and then I'll talk to organization and see how it goes from there."
If Pietila could turn pro after his sophomore season, he could be in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as early as this coming spring. Getting a prospect to the AHL that quick -- especially a right-handed defense, a real need in the system -- could be a good get for the Penguins, who especially need their prospects ready sooner rather than later.
Joe Zak / Penguins
Chase Pietila in the Penguins' development camp in Cranberry, Pa.
