An anonymous author once said, “Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.”
As the calendar flips to late November, there is one thing that everyone’s mind starts to go to… Thanksgiving. It is the unofficial time of year when loved ones get together and embrace each other. Whether telling old stories about younger days or arguments about things that might no longer be important. The constant thing is family. For Logan Pietila, family has been around him his whole hockey life.
Logan Pietila started his hockey career playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Pietila played for Dubuque for two seasons before going to play college hockey. During his time in the USHL, Pietila totaled 55 points in 119 games. His best season was his last when he finished with 55 points. Playing in the USHL at the time left players with the possibility of playing college hockey.
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Slap Shots
Name: Logan Pietila Position: Forward Career games: 17
Years in Wheeling: 1 Favorite Thanksgiving Dish: Mashed Potatoes
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The Howell, Michigan native decided to attend a school in his home state—Michigan Tech University. Pietila played all his college hockey as a Husky. During his five seasons at Michigan Tech, Pietila was regularly a top scorer, notching 98 points in his college career, 45 of which were goals. During his fourth season at Michigan Tech, Pietila was named one of the Assistant captains, and that eventually led to him being named the captain in his fifth and final season.
While at Michigan Tech, Pietila played with a couple of his current teammates. Matthew Quercia and David Jankowski both played with Pietila but in separate seasons. That’s not even close to the coincidence of who else he played with.
He got to play with his twin brother (Blake), his younger brother (Chase) and his cousin (Jed). They even all got to play at the same time during Logan’s last season at Michigan Tech.
“It was cool for all of us to play together. Being able to have the whole family tree in the lineup was awesome,” Pietila mentioned.
At the end of Logan’s college career, he decided to go pro. He signed an AHL contract at the end of the 2023-2024 Wilkes-Barre Scranton season. He is back again this season on an AHL with the “Baby Pens” and got to experience a full off-season. Pietila got to go to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Development camp and Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s training camp.
Pietila was sent down to Wheeling before the beginning of this current. In a handful of games with the Nailers this season, Pietila was able to cash in his first professional goal.
Logan is not the only member of his family to strap on the skates for a professional team. Blake, his twin brother, currently plays as a goalie in Sweden. His cousin Jed currently plays for the ECHLs and is a well-known rival of the Nailers, the Toledo Walleye.
“It’s fun to be able to play against him (Jed). He’s a defenseman, and I’m a forward, so the dynamic that he’s going to be trying to stop me is interesting,” Pietila said. “We’ve texted back and forth joking about us getting into a fight, too,” acknowledged Pietila.
Then Logan’s other brother Chase also has a good chance of playing professionally. Chase is still playing at Michigan Tech but was drafted in the Fourth Round of last year’s NHL draft by who other than the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I saw it on my phone during the summer, and I was kind of in shock when I saw it. I knew he was going to be picked, but it’s cool that he’s going to be in the same organization, and there’s a slight chance we could play pro together, too,” said Pietila.
Pietila and the Nailers are back on home ice this Saturday as they take on the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:10 p.m. It’s Hall of Fame night as Steve Gibson and Tomas Vokoun are inducted into the Wheeling Hockey Hall of Fame.
It is also the “Teddy Bear” toss game. The team asks you to bring a new or gently used stuffed animal to throw out onto the ice after the first Nailers goal, and they will be donated to the Salvation Army. Full team postgame autographs will go on after the game, too.
Plus, it is my good friend and broadcast partner DJ Abisalih’s 1,000th broadcast for the Wheeling Nailers. It is certainly a night you don’t want to miss. Tickets can be purchased by calling 304-234-GOAL or by visiting wheelingnailers.com.
The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.
