Gophers likely moving on without Rhett Pitlick (2024)

MINNEAPOLIS — With two parents and an older brother who were all University of Minnesota athletes, maroon and gold will surely always be in Rhett Pitlick’s heart. But all indications are that his heart is also saying three seasons with the Gophers hockey team is enough, and it is time for a new challenge.

While he and his representatives have not officially declared whether Pitlick, 23, will return to Minnesota for his senior season or find work as a professional hockey free agent, the Gophers have given hints that they are prepared to move on without the talented forward in 2024-25.

In a lengthy interview with Paul Allen of KFAN Radio broadcast live from the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday, Gophers coach Bob Motzko said he expects Pitlick to be done with college hockey.

“I think all indications are he’s going pro,” Motzko said. “He was property and drafted by Montreal, had to go through the process to become a free agent. I’ve stayed on the sidelines with that.”

Originally picked by the Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Pitlick became a free agent over the summer and can sign anywhere he and his representatives get what they determine to be the best offer.

Matt Krohn / Gophers Sports

Sources have told The Rink Live that Pitlick — who was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree last season as well as being an All-Big Ten Second Team performer on the ice — finished his college degree in the spring and has not participated in any of the team’s on-campus training or skating sessions over the summer. Numerous text messages and emails to Pitlick’s family and representatives over the past month have not been returned.

While some coaches believe in recruiting players to come to your program and then recruiting them to stay, Motzko said he takes a more hands-off approach, and pointed to recent players like Brock Faber, Matthew Knies, Jackson LaCombe and Jimmy Snuggerud who chose an additional year with the Gophers rather than signing early.

“I let the players follow their heart of where they want to be and what they want to do. Our players know this,” Motzko told Allen, who is the radio voice of the Minnesota Vikings. “I didn’t re-recruit Brock Faber to come back. I didn’t re-recruit Jackson LaCombe to come back for his senior year. Nor did I re-recruit (Logan) Cooley. These players know. They follow their heart and their path of where they want to go.”

The coach also praised Pitlick for his maturity, and indicated that he will make the choice his heart advises. Pitlick tied for the team scoring lead last season with 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points in 38 games. Perhaps his best-remembered moment in three seasons with the Gophers was an end-to-end rush for a goal in the third period of the 2023 Big Ten tournament title game in Minneapolis.

Rhett’s father, Lance , was a Gopher and played several seasons in the NHL. His mother, Lisa, was a two-time Big Ten champion gymnast for the Gophers. Rhett’s older brother Rem was the team’s scoring leader in the 2018-19 season and has played more than 130 NHL games.

Craig Cotner / Gopher Puck Live

You go to college in hopes that your time on campus will prepare you for a career that you enjoy and utilizes your skills. In recent days, two more former Gophers have found a career on the ice after their college days concluded in March.

Former Mr. Hockey winner and five-year Gophers forward Bryce Brodzinski signed a free agent contract with the AHL’s Ontario (California) Reign, who are the top minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. Originally drafted by Philadelphia, Brodzinski became a free agent after the Flyers relinquished his rights. Bryce’s older brother Jonny currently skates for the New York Rangers and has logged more than 150 games in the NHL.

More recently, former Gophers goaltender Justen Close signed a pact with the Jacksonville (Florida) Icemen, who play in the ECHL and are an affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. Close, who backstopped two Frozen Four trips as the Gophers starter, was essentially a third-stringer for his first two seasons at the U of M, then was thrust into the starting role in January 2022 when Jack LaFontaine unexpectedly signed a pro contract and left the program at midseason. Close finished his Gophers days with 13 shutouts, which ties him for the program’s career record.

Jess Myers covers college hockey, as well as outdoors, general sports and travel, for The Rink Live and the Forum Communications family of publications. He came to FCC in 2018 after three decades of covering sports as a freelancer for a variety of publications, while working full time in politics and media relations. A native of Warroad, Minn. (the real Hockeytown USA), Myers has a degree in journalism/communications from the University of Minnesota Duluth. He lives in the Twin Cities. Contact Jess via email at jrmyers@forumcomm.com, or find him on Twitter via @JessRMyers. English speaker.