Prospect Info: Rhett Pitlick (2019, #131)

[Stive Morgan]

They panned out on teams that have some size for insulation.... not a team of smurfs.

"John Scott comes out of retirement, signs 6-year-deal with Canadiens, includes NMC"

In no specific order:

- Speed
- Skill
- Size/Strength
- IQ
-Character/Work Ethic

Of the above 5, a legitimate, draft worthy prospect should check off at least 3 of these. It requires seeing a player live many times as opposed Youtube highlights or stat worshipping. There are top junior scorers who only check off two of these and they are the ones who commonly don't make it.

Not attacking you or your opinion as you may very well agree just throwing it out there for everyone.

I think like 60% of HF users simply stat watch, which is why I generally avoid talking about players from European leagues or USHL/NCAA because I see very little of those leagues outside of simple numbers on a screen.

How a player's game will translate to the NHL is the most important thing imo, but yes I do agree.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Habs brass compare him to Guentzel if he reaches his full potential (source: TheAthletic).

I dont think he has his scoring talent tbh

 

[montreal]

I dont think he has his scoring talent tbh

have you seen much of him? We'll see how it goes when he heads to Minnesota, a top program. His brother put up very solid numbers at Minnesota but he was a 3rd round pick and was in the USHL at 17 whereas Rhett was in the USHS, the top USHS in the country but still not at as good as the USHL so I assume the brother is seen as a decent bit better.

 

[montreal]

Watched 2 games of his, well one and started to watch another but after watching him score a hattrick some 5 minutes into the game I looked up the score and saw it was a 13-0 blowout so I will watch a different game (he ends up with 4g 1a).

The first game I saw was while he was with Team Southwest, I explained the makeup of that team in the sticked draft thread since it was against the USNDTP U-17. I'll just say again it's an elite travel team as the USHS they don't play that many games, around 25 because they have kids that play more then one sport like football, etc... So they can pick up extra games if they can make the team as it's for the top players in the Minnesota USHS.

Pitlick as has been said his speed is elite and likely his best asset and his first step quickness is among the best i've seen in a 17 year old. He can hit top gear in just a few strides, it's impressive to watch him go. He put up some good numbers in the USHS and with Team Southwest as he led them in goals, 2nd in assists and was 1 pt from the team lead in points.

Of course the main concern going forward for him is how skinny he his. He will need to bulk up but spending a year in the USHL while he finishes his last year of high school should hopefully see him bulk up as much as possible. He's listed at 161 so by the time he goes to Minnesota in '20-'21 some added weight will help so he doesn't get crushed although with that speed they will have a hard time catching him. For as quick as he is I would have liked to see him move his feet more but since he can hit the top gear so fast I don't think it matters that much.

He does look like he can snipe the puck, I was a little surprised for him being a 5th rounder but we'll see once he gets to the NCAA how much he can produce.

 

[Mrb1p]

Watched 2 games of his, well one and started to watch another but after watching him score a hattrick some 5 minutes into the game I looked up the score and saw it was a 13-0 blowout so I will watch a different game (he ends up with 4g 1a).

The first game I saw was while he was with Team Southwest, I explained the makeup of that team in the sticked draft thread since it was against the USNDTP U-17. I'll just say again it's an elite travel team as the USHS they don't play that many games, around 25 because they have kids that play more then one sport like football, etc... So they can pick up extra games if they can make the team as it's for the top players in the Minnesota USHS.

Pitlick as has been said his speed is elite and likely his best asset and his first step quickness is among the best i've seen in a 17 year old. He can hit top gear in just a few strides, it's impressive to watch him go. He put up some good numbers in the USHS and with Team Southwest as he led them in goals, 2nd in assists and was 1 pt from the team lead in points.

Of course the main concern going forward for him is how skinny he his. He will need to bulk up but spending a year in the USHL while he finishes his last year of high school should hopefully see him bulk up as much as possible. He's listed at 161 so by the time he goes to Minnesota in '20-'21 some added weight will help so he doesn't get crushed although with that speed they will have a hard time catching him. For as quick as he is I would have liked to see him move his feet more but since he can hit the top gear so fast I don't think it matters that much.

He does look like he can snipe the puck, I was a little surprised for him being a 5th rounder but we'll see once he gets to the NCAA how much he can produce.

Im banking on him being a steal and starting to crush the NCAA in his 2nd year. He should be fun to watch with fellow USHS draftee Koster.

 

[montreal]

Im banking on him being a steal and starting to crush the NCAA in his 2nd year. He should be fun to watch with fellow USHS draftee Koster.

I was watching Koster in the one game since he's a leafs pick, scored a goal but it was a blow out.

It sounds like Pitlick's brother is the more talented, he led Minnesota in points in his 2nd and 3rd year with his Junior year as the real breakout with 45 pts but those teams disappointed as they were barely .500 but it will be interesting to see how he does in the USHL and then NCAA.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I was watching Koster in the one game since he's a leafs pick, scored a goal but it was a blow out.

It sounds like Pitlick's brother is the more talented, he led Minnesota in points in his 2nd and 3rd year with his Junior year as the real breakout with 45 pts but those teams disappointed as they were barely .500 but it will be interesting to see how he does in the USHL and then NCAA.

Rem was passed over in his first year after an initial slow year in the USHL. Technically Rhett has a chance to catch his brother as he scored at a considerably higher pace in his first try at the USHL albeit in a very small sample size. That being said, Rem obliterated the league the following season and will be a tough act to follow.

It is tough to compare numbers prior to the USHL as Rem played against much tougher competition with St. Mary's than Rhett did at Chaska.

I am mostly talking out of my ***as I did not follow either player and I only basing this off of stats (which I generally loathe) and minimal viewings of both players.

From the little that I have seen, they are both extremely fast and play similar styles but Rem is a little bigger.

I am happy with the pick as he has some translatable tools and skills. Hopefully he can pack on some muscle like his brother did and with a bit of good fortune follow his brothers development spike with a huge season in Omaha.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Game Center

Here is Rhett Pitlick's and the Omaha Lancers' regular season schedule. They start the season on a back-to-back on September 26th and 27th. On the 26th, they face Madison Capitols and the 27th, they go up against Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

 

[Adam Michaels]

EOTP T25U25 #23: Rhett Pitlick

2019 Montreal Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #23 Rhett Pitlick

 

[montreal]

Pitlick starts his preseason on Friday, regular season starts at the end of the month on the 26th, interested to see how he does this year, what kind of numbers he puts up.

 

[windycity]

Yeah he’s an intriguing prospect for sure

 

[26Mats]

Yeah he’s an intriguing prospect for sure

Yeah he’s an intriguing prospect for sure

In the rank the prospects thread, I had him ahead of Fonstad, McShane, Hillis, and even Evans.

A speedster that may have some talent witht the puck. We'll find out...

 

[Adam Michaels]

Also tonight, Omaha Lancers have a preseason game, as well. Should expect Pitlick in the line-up.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Pitlick on 1RW for tonight's preseason game for Omaha.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Final Score

Preseason -- Omaha: 6 - 2 :Waterloo
- Pitclick with 2 pts (1G, 1A), +2, 3 SOG, *Named 3rd Star of the Game*

 

[WinterLion]

Final Score

Preseason -- Omaha: 6 - 2 :Waterloo
- Pitclick with 2 pts (1G, 1A), +2, 3 SOG,

I have a good feeling about Pitlick

 

[tealhockey]

Rem was passed over in his first year after an initial slow year in the USHL. Technically Rhett has a chance to catch his brother as he scored at a considerably higher pace in his first try at the USHL albeit in a very small sample size. That being said, Rem obliterated the league the following season and will be a tough act to follow.

It is tough to compare numbers prior to the USHL as Rem played against much tougher competition with St. Mary's than Rhett did at Chaska.

I am mostly talking out of my ***as I did not follow either player and I only basing this off of stats (which I generally loathe) and minimal viewings of both players.

From the little that I have seen, they are both extremely fast and play similar styles but Rem is a little bigger.

I am happy with the pick as he has some translatable tools and skills. Hopefully he can pack on some muscle like his brother did and with a bit of good fortune follow his brothers development spike with a huge season in Omaha.

Rem came on so strong, I think Rhett will have a tough time matching him. He has some great speed and skill so this will be a year to watch but the player Rem has become from age 15-16 on is seriously impressive. He would have been a Hobey candidate in the NCAA had he returned IMO

 

[Habs Halifax]

I have a good feeling about Pitlick

Any player that is trending well in development is a very good sign. It's early but lots to like so far for sure! Habs scouting has woken up in the last few drafts it appears.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

today is the season opener for Pitlick at 1 pm, it's a tournament called the Fall Classic, it's in Pitt and all teams play for 2 days. I thought about getting a month pass but 30 bucks is a lot, hockeytv has quality steams from what i remember but it's been some time since I had a membership.

If Khisamutdinov plays today at noon I'll check out the game, if not I'll watch Olofsson at 1 pm.

Did you go to that one in your high school hockey days ?

 

[montreal]

Did you go to that one in your high school hockey days ?

no I played back in the late '80's/early 90's, I don't know if I even heard of the USHL back then. The biggest part of my hockey career was getting to play in flyers rink (though I was suspended so didn't play) and the closest I had to being drafted was playing against a kid drafted by the Habs in '91, Brady Kramer who was picked 149th overall which was a total shock to me. He played for Haverford HS, a prep school in a rich part of town just outside philly.

The rink they play at was owned by former flyer broad street bully Dave the hammer Schultz who I got to meet. Was a nice guy. The funny part is my school, St James was in the poor part of town and the rich kids invited us to their tournament and we kicked their ass so they got so mad they fought us as we were shaking hands at the end of the tournament, every player from both teams were in an all out brawl from the ice to the lockerooms. Guess we were doing our part to honor Schultz's days of fighting, lol.




if anyone wants to read about the Fall Classic,

USHL Fall Classic gives amateur players chance to impress scouts

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

no I played back in the late '80's/early 90's, I don't know if I even heard of the USHL back then. The biggest part of my hockey career was getting to play in flyers rink (though I was suspended so didn't play) and the closest I had to being drafted was playing against a kid drafted by the Habs in '91, Brady Kramer who was picked 149th overall which was a total shock to me. He played for Haverford HS, a prep school in a rich part of town just outside philly.

The rink they play at was owned by former flyer broad street bully Dave the hammer Schultz who I got to meet. Was a nice guy. The funny part is my school, St James was in the poor part of town and the rich kids invited us to their tournament and we kicked their ass so they got so mad they fought us as we were shaking hands at the end of the tournament, every player from both teams were in an all out brawl from the ice to the lockerooms. Guess we were doing our part to honor Schultz's days of fighting, lol.




if anyone wants to read about the Fall Classic,

USHL Fall Classic gives amateur players chance to impress scouts

Hockey was pretty wild back then, even in high school ! I've been in a scrap or two playing football but with the helmet and all it was mostly pushing and shoving, with 20 guys jumping in and chaos ensuing. I never was good enough on skates to make it to any sort of competitive playing sadly !

 

[montreal]

Hockey was pretty wild back then, even in high school !

to get ready for HS hockey I joined the HS football team, it was just one year and I was on the Freshman only team since I had just turned 14 2 months or so before camp started so I would have been killed by the 17/18 year olds, which one of the 18 year olds did put me through the glass at practice, my coach was so pissed at him sine he was twice my size, I just had a little trouble breathing for a bit but was fine. I played football since all the hockey I played before was no contact so I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be worried about getting hit, so I thought if I played football, I'd get hit so much it wouldn't matter by the time the hockey season started. I was right. Got my ass kicked in football but when hockey started I didn't care about being hit at all.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Pitlick with an assist yesterday. 4 pts in 9 GP so far, expected more out of him for D+1 in USHL.

oh I didn't know it was USHL. Hopefully he can pick it up.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

oh I didn't know it was USHL. Hopefully he can pick it up.

Right now, the top scorer on his team is Campbell coming off the BCHL with 10 points. Then it's a tie between Pitlick and the team's centerman. It appears based off hockeydb that both Campbell and Pitlick are LWers so either Pitlick is playing on the second line with meh teammates or he's being put on his off wing which may require him a period of adjustment.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Right now, the top scorer on his team is Campbell coming off the BCHL with 10 points. Then it's a tie between Pitlick and the team's centerman. It appears based off hockeydb that both Campbell and Pitlick are LWers so either Pitlick is playing on the second line with meh teammates or he's being put on his off wing which may require him a period of adjustment.

ah interesting. So his team's just not scoring a lot. Hopefully he breaks out nonetheless.