Former Gopher Rhett Pitlick will play hockey for Minnesota State Mankato this season

Rhett Pitlick, who tied for the team leading in scoring for the Gophers in the 2023-24 season, has enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato and will play for the Mavericks in the 2024-25 season, coach Luke Strand announced Saturday.

Pitlick, a left winger who has one year of eligibility remaining, played three seasons for the Gophers, helping them reach two NCAA Frozen Fours, one national championship game and a third regional final. Last season, he had 19 goals and 17 assists, sharing the scoring lead with Bryce Brodzinski and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. Pitlick, 23, had 35 goals and 44 assists in his Gophers career.

A fifth-round selection of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL draft, Pitlick parted ways with the Gophers after the 2023-24 season. He did not sign with Montreal and became a free agent when his rights expired this summer. Without a contract with an NHL organization, Pitlick opted for one final collegiate season with Minnesota State.