Northern Michigan transfer Adam Pietila commits to Badgers

Pietila spent last season with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms.

Hartland's Adam Pietila celebrates one of his two goals in a 5-1 victory over Livonia Stevenson on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at Hartland Sports Center in Livingston County, Mich. / Timothy Arrick/For the Livingston Daily

Former Northern Michigan recruit and forward Adam Pietila is transferring to the Badgers men's hockey team, Pietila said on social media on Sunday.

After entering the portal, I have decided to commit to University of Wisconsin

— adam pietila (@adampietila) June 17, 2024

Pietila, 21, spent last year in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and tallied 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games. He finished the year with a plus-minus of plus-8. He also scored three goals in seven playoff games. Pietila spent the previous two seasons with the NAHL's Bismark Bobcats.

Pietila played 111 games with the Bobcats, recording 83 points (42 goals, 41 assists) while posting a plus-minus of plus-21 across the two seasons, including a plus-20 season in 2022-23. Pietila is a native of Howell, Mich., where he was a standout for Hartland High School.

Pietila entered the transfer portal after Northern Michigan coach Grant Potulny stepped down last week for a professional opportunity that's reportedly to be the coach of the AHL's Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins. Instead, Pietila will play for Mike Hastings and the Badgers.