Chase Pietila

September 2025 – After completing his collegiate career, Pietila saw time with both the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. He managed three assists in nine ECHL games, and scored no points in three games in the AHL.

Pietila passed through the draft twice before being taken by Pittsburgh in the fourth round. He doesn’t stand out offensively, and defensively he is more about reads and playkilling than grit and physicality.

It’s a great example of a player who kept playing his game and earned his way to being drafted after going twice uncalled. If Pietila can make an impact in the AHL as he heads back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the fall, he might earn a few laps at the NHL, but he is a great example of a player who could be much better in real life than in fantasy. Don’t roster him yet, but keep an eye. Alex Wyatt

March 2025  – Pietila signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The contract will begin in the 2025-26 season and run through the 2027-28 campaign. Mark Henry

June 2024 – The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Pietila in the fourth round (111th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Mark Henry