Blake Pietila Explained

Blake Pietila should not be confused with Blake Pietila (ice hockey, born 2000).

Blake Pietila
Played For:New Jersey Devils
Position:Left Wing
Birth Date:20 February 1993
Birth Place:Milford, Michigan, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:200
Shoots:Left
Draft:129th overall
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils
Draft Year:2011
Career Start:2015
Career End:2021

Blake Chester Pietila (born February 20, 1993) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played with the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). Pietila was drafted by the Devils in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Family

His grandfather was born and raised in Finland. Blake's brother also play hockey.[1]

Playing career

As a youth, Pietila played in the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Compuware minor ice hockey team.[2]

Pietila, of Finnish descent through his grandfather,[3] played collegiate hockey with Michigan Tech of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. After his four-year college career was completed after his senior season in 2014–15, Pietila, who was the captain, was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils on May 27, 2015.[4]

In his debut professional season in 2015–16, Pietila was initially reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils. He later made his NHL debut for the Devils on March 24, 2016, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He recorded his first NHL goal on March 31, 2016, against the Florida Panthers with only 5.1 seconds remaining in a 3-2 loss.[5]

On July 26, 2017, the Devils re-signed Pietila to a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.335 million and $667,000 annually.[6]

On July 2, 2019, Pietila left the Devils organization after four seasons as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks for the 2019–20 season.[7] He played the duration of his contract with the Ducks assigned to AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, recording 12 goals and 24 points through 49 regular season games before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a free agent from the Ducks leading into the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, Pietila belatedly signed a professional tryout contract with the Hershey Bears of the AHL, affiliate to the Washington Capitals, on February 8, 2021.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2009–10U.S. National Development TeamUSHL2853827
2010–11U.S. National Development TeamUSHL2445920
2011–12Michigan TechWCHA3910142446
2012–13Michigan TechWCHA3514102444
2013–14Michigan TechWCHA398202884
2014–15Michigan TechWCHA4014163056
2015–16Albany DevilsAHL58107174183368
2015–16New Jersey DevilsNHL71122
2016–17Albany DevilsAHL491716333840220
2016–17New Jersey DevilsNHL100114
2017–18Binghamton DevilsAHL6012102226
2017–18New Jersey DevilsNHL20000
2018–19Binghamton DevilsAHL5020264642
2018–19New Jersey DevilsNHL190116
2019–20San Diego GullsAHL4912122420
2020–21Hershey BearsAHL60118
NHL totals3813412

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2010United StatesU1761012
2011United StatesU1861010
2013United StatesWJC70220
Junior totals192242

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
All-WCHA Third Team2014–15[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2012-12-23 . Blake, niitä Michiganin Pietilöitä . 2024-02-24 . Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta . fi.
  2. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-01-06. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  3. http://www.jatkoaika.com/Haastattelu/blake-niit%C3%A4-michiganin-pietil%C3%B6it%C3%A4/108733 Blake, niitä Michiganin Pietilöitä
  4. Web site: Devils sign prospects Ryan Kujawinski and Blake Pietila . . 2015-05-27 . 2015-05-27.
  5. Web site: Chere. Rich. Blake Pietila wishes first NHL goal was more important to Devils. NJ.com. April 1, 2016. August 14, 2018.
  6. Web site: Devils sign forward Blake Pietila to a two-year, two-way contract . . July 26, 2017 . July 26, 2017.
  7. Web site: Ducks sign Poturalski and Pietila to one-year contracts . . July 2, 2019 . July 2, 2019.
  8. Web site: Bears sign Pietila to PTO . . February 8, 2021 . February 8, 2021.
  9. News: All-WCHA Teams. College Hockey Historical Archives. 2014-04-13 . 2014-04-13.