University of Minnesota Athletics
Freshman Faceoff: Rem Pitlick
11/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -Rem Pitlick enters his first year of college hockey after one of the best seasons in the history of the United States Hockey League.
A forward from Plymouth, Minn., Pitlick led the USHL in scoring with 89 points, 46 goals and 43 assists and ended the year with USHL Player of the Year, USHL Forward of the Year and First Team All-USHL honors as well as being named the 2016 USA Hockey Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year.
His 89 points in 56 games for Muskegon were an organization single-season record while his 46 goals were the third most all-time in the USHL Tier I era.
Pitlick, who previously won a national championship while at Shattuck-St. Mary's, joins the Gophers after being selected 76th overall (third round) by the Nashville Predators at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Recently, GopherSports.com caught up with one of Minnesota's newest skaters.
GopherSports.com: First off, when did you first start playing hockey and when did you realize it was something you loved?
Rem Pitlick: I think I started skating when I was three years old, my dad just brought me to a rink for public skating lessons, and I hated it then. I was always falling. But my mom and dad never pushed me to play hockey - it was just something I stuck with and eventually began to fall in love with. With my dad playing in the NHL, I think that might have been a bit of an influence too, but I just love playing hockey.
GS: You joined the Gophers this summer after two years in the United States Hockey League. How has the adjustment gone to being on campus for the first time as a student-athlete?
RP: It's definitely been an adjustment. I was out of school for pretty much two years -- I was participating in an online school as a senior in Waterloo while playing juniors. Then my last year in Muskegon, I was completely out of school and just playing hockey. So I've just been focusing on getting back into class as a full-time student and enjoying everything about being in college. Obviously the level of play in college is a big jump too. I think I'm definitely still adjusting, but I'm getting there.
GS: You mentioned your parents earlier - both of them were student-athletes at the University of Minnesota. How special is it for you to be able to play for the Gophers given your dad's hockey career here? (Lance Pitlick played in 144 games at Minnesota with 39 career points (10 goals, 29 assists) and was the team captain in 1989-90 before an eight-year NHL career.)
RP: It's obviously a special feeling. It didn't really hit me until the first time I walked into the locker room in Alaska and saw our jerseys hanging in the stall. I think it's something cool being that my dad played here, and I'm kind of following in his footsteps. Kind of trying to make it to where he made it.
GS: Your mom (Lisa) was also a talented student-athlete here at Minnesota.
RP: Yep, she was a gymnast here and won an individual Big Ten championship. I get asked about my dad a lot because we both play hockey, but she was a great athlete in her own right.
GS: You had a terrific season in the USHL last year when you led the league in scoring. What are you looking forward to most in your first season of college hockey?
RP: I hope to continue where I left off. I know what type of player I am, and I'm excited to be here. Hopefully I can continue to put up offensive numbers and the main thing is just keep developing here. I have trust in the coaches and hopefully they have trust in me. We want to win a national championship here, and I want to move on to the next level as well. There are a lot of things I want to get out of my time at the University of Minnesota.
GS: In your first game at Mariucci Arena (a 9-0 exhibition win over the U.S. Under-18 Team), you notched four points including a hat trick. What was that experience like?
RP: Like you said - it was an exhibition game, but it was still an awesome experience coming out on the ice at Mariucci Arena for the first time. I had a lot of family and friends there. It was something that was pretty special - I forget it.
GS: You've played with quite a few of your current teammates before coming to Minnesota (Tommy Novak and Tyler Sheehy in juniors, Ryan Norman and Ryan Lindgren at Shattuck-St. Mary's). What is it like to get back on the ice with them?
RP: Yeah, it's cool. We started off playing when we were younger, and it's cool we all worked hard and got to such a special place at the University of Minnesota. It's an honor to play on this team, and it's cool that we played on the same teams, then went our different paths and now we're back in the same spot.
GS: You were drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round of this year's NHL Entry Draft. Can you talk about what that meant to you?
RP: That was obviously a very special experience. I think most kids dream about that when they grow up playing hockey, you want to get drafted in the National Hockey League. There's so many people to thank along way, but achieving that dream doesn't mean a whole lot yet. There's a lot of work to get to that level, but obviously being noticed and being rewarded for your hard work is something special.
GS: What was your draft experience like?
RP: I was sick at the time, so I was actually sleeping when we found out. Even with that, it was still incredible.
Quick Hits: Rem Pitlick
Favorite Gopher: Jordan Schroeder
Favorite NHL Player: Johnny Gaudreau
Favorite Food: Chicken
Funniest Guy on Team: Tommy Novak
Best Halloween Costume: Skeleton
Favorite Hockey Movie: Miracle
Favorite Hobby: Wakesurfing
-Pride on Ice-
