BLOG: Pitlick Joins First Line in Morning Skate with Blackhawks 

In his first morning skate with the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, Rem Pitlick met his new teammates after his recent trade from Pittsburgh. From there, he joined the team’s first line alongside Philipp Kurashev and Taylor Raddysh. 

With a few setbacks with travel over the past few days, the 26-year-old forward looks forward to a fresh start on his new team. 

“I'm looking for an opportunity to play in the NHL and I believe that I can do it,” Pitlick said. “To be a part of this franchise, … there's a lot of stuff going on here in Chicago, so I’m pumped.” 

Chicago acquired Pitlick in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Saturday morning. This season, he produced 24 points (8G, 16A) through 32 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL. 

Throughout his career, he also played for the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens where he learned different skills. With experience between the AHL and NHL, Pitlick knows this can help him grow in his new role with the Blackhawks. 

“It’s definitely has been some up and down,” Pitlick said. “But I've had some really good experiences and I think it'll take those things and those learnings into now.”

In his two seasons with the Canadiens, Pitlick worked alongside head coach Luke Richardson before he joined the Blackhawks organization. 

Richardson is confident in his speed ability that he can provide to the lineup and grow alongside his other teammates. With first-line opportunities in the AHL, the second-year head coach also believes he can translate those skills to create new looks on the team. 

“He's a fast dynamic player,” Richardson said. “He's probably like a first-line guy in the American [Hockey] League and when it comes up here, his skill level, it can help out on the top six.”

As the Blackhawks slowly have players return to the roster after a string of injuries, Pitlick understands the next man up mentality and the impact this can make in his game. 

“That was a situation where I got a good opportunity,” Pitlick said. “It was cool that, Luke was there and he got to see me in some of those spots. So hopefully, there's a connection and we’ll see what happens.”