Recently signed with Penguins’ organization
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech’s Chase Pietila has been named the CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year the league announced on Wednesday. Pietila was also named to the All-CCHA First Team.
Pietila, a native of Howell, Michigan, was named to the coaches and the media’s Preseason All-CCHA Team before his sophomore season. As an alternate captain this season, he skated in all 36 games and tallied 22 points with seven goals and 15 assists. He scored the game-winning goal against Alaska (Oct. 12) and had three power-play goals. He registered 68 shots on goal and blocked 32 shots defensively. Pietila led the CCHA in penalties (21) and penalty minutes (50) during the regular season.
In CCHA games, Pietila scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points. Producing an even rating throughout the conference schedule, he recorded 55 shots on goal and blocked 25 in his own end, with two power-play tallies.
Pietila signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday (March 9). He was drafted by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft with the 111th pick and appeared in 76 games for the Huskies over the past two seasons, tallying 44 points on 10 goals and 34 assists.
Voting for the 2024-25 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the nine head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
