Do a quick web search of the word “journeyman,” and you’ll find definitions like “a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding” (Oxford Languages), or “an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer especially as distinguished from one who is brilliant or colorful” (Merriam-Webster). Not included in these definitions, but likely to be added soon, is a picture of Minnesota Wild winger Tyler Pitlick.
Pitlick is a well-traveled veteran with hockey roots in Minnesota. The former Centennial Cougar, who also spent a season playing college hockey for Minnesota State (Mankato) in 2009-10, found his way back to his home state this season when the Wild signed him to a two-year, two-way contract last summer.
In between, Pitlick embarked on a journey that now finds him in his 15th professional season and playing for his ninth NHL franchise, with five AHL stops added in along the way. All told, Pitlick has played in 442 NHL regular-season games and another 282 in the AHL.
Over his NHL career, the 34-year-old Pitlick has served primarily as a depth winger who can slot in on multiple lines and play an honest, straight-line game. He’s spent much of that time as a 13th or 14th forward, which is the role he’s found himself in again this season.
It’s clear that Pitlick has settled into his NHL identity. In a league where everyone was a star player as they came up through lower levels, it can be a harsh reality check for some when they realize that if they want to remain in the NHL, they have to develop new identities as depth players who are expected to make positive contributions in limited ice time.
The Wild recognized that Pitlick can provide value as an organizational depth piece and compensated him accordingly with a contract that pays him $775,000 in the NHL and $300,000 in the AHL, making him one of the highest-paid players in the AHL. He’s barely been there, though. Minnesota has been ravaged by injuries yet again this season, and Pitlick and Ben Jones have spent most of the season in the NHL as a result.
Pitlick was first called up to the NHL in October, was briefly sent down in November so that the Wild could avoid putting him on waivers, and then recalled to Minnesota again on November 15th, where he’s been ever since.
Since being recalled to Minnesota, performance has been such that, after the blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade that opened up some forward spots when the Wild sent forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren to Vancouver, Pitlick has earned the opportunity to remain in Minnesota as the 13th or 14th forward, even as the team returns to full health.
To begin with, his promotion was well-deserved. Pitlick has clearly been one of the best forwards in Iowa during his brief stints there, producing 4 points in 5 games and averaging 2.6 shots on goal per game, which still ranks second on the team behind now-traded Liam Ohgren.
Pitlick represented a better call-up option than Hunter Haight because Pitlick’s game and development are unaffected by time spent in the press box as a healthy scratch. His track record bears this out as well.
In three of his previous four NHL seasons before this season, in which he served as a depth forward in stints with the Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, and the New York Rangers, Pitlick produced a positive relative expected goals percentage. That means that he has developed into a player who can consistently deliver possession value when his number gets called.
He’s been able to do this despite only playing an average of 43 games per season. Pitlick knows how to step into the lineup and make an impact when needed, even if he’s not getting consistent playing time.
That trend has continued so far this season. Pitlick’s expected goals percentage of 47.74% puts him in the 38th percentile among NHL forwards who have played at least 50 minutes at five-on-five, and his relative expected goals percentage of -2% puts him in the 40th percentile. Both of those numbers place him as an average third-line player and above-average fourth liner.
These statistics bear out on the Wild as well. Among 15 forwards with at least 50 minutes of five-on-five ice time, Pitlick ranks 10th in relative expected goals percentage and 9th in actual expected goals percentage. He’s produced an expected goals percentage of over 50% in 11 of his 22 games this season, including four of his last five.
Pitlick has often been able to elevate the play of the fourth line as well. His most common linemates this season have been Ben Jones and Yakov Trenin, both of whom have seen their possession numbers increase when they play with Pitlick. Most recently, the Wild have been using a fourth line of Pitlick, Jones, and Nico Sturm, and that trio has produced an expected goals percentage of 59.3% in their five games together (though Sturm also deserves a lot of the credit for that).
Even if the Wild brings in scoring help before the trade deadline, and he gets pushed further down the depth chart, there’s no doubting what Pitlick can provide when called upon.
Overall, Pitlick’s emergence as a reliable, plug-and-play veteran for the Wild this season has been one of the quiet subplots to a season that has the potential to turn into something special. It could be that the journeyman from Minnesota has come full circle just in time to ply his trade for a contender.