Career
Before playing in the NHL, Pitlick played one year with the Minnesota State Mavericks of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and one season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
He was drafted 31st overall by the Edmonton Oilers of the 2010 NHL entry draft. On April 13, 2011, Pitlick signed an three-year, $2.665 entry-level contract to join the Oilers. He was sent down to play for their AHL-affiliates Oklahoma City Barons.
On October 22, 2013, the Oilers called him up and Pitlick made his NHL debut in a 4–3 win against the Montreal Canadiens. On October 26, Pitlick scored his first NHL goal against Mike Smith in a 5–4 loss against the Phoenix Coyotes. On July 15, 2014, Pitlick signed a one-year, $725,000 contract to stay with the Oilers. On July 16, 2015, Pitlick signed a one-year, $761,250 contract to stay with the Oilers. On June 17, 2016, Pitlick signed a one-year, $725,000 contract to stay with the Oilers.
On July 1, 2017, Pitlick signed a three-year, $3 million contract to stay with the Dallas Stars. He played parts of two seasons with the Stars.
On June 24, 2019, the Stars traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Hartman. He scored 8 goals and recorded 12 assists in 63 regular season games, as well as, scoring 2 goals and recording 1 assist in 16 playoff games for the Flyers.
On October 9, 2020, Pitlick signed a two-year, $1.75 million contract to join the Arizona Coyotes. He scored 6 goals and recorded 5 assists in 38 regular season games.
On July 21, 2021, the Coyotes left Pitlick unprotected in the 2021 NHL expansion draft and he was selected by the Seattle Kraken. He never played a game for the Kraken. The day after, the Kraken traded Pitlick to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round draft pick. He recorded 2 assists in 25 regular season games with the Flames.
On February 14, 2022, the Flames traded Pitlick along with Emil Heineman, a 2022 conditional first-round draft pick, and a 2022 fifth-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Tyler Toffoli.
On October 25, 2022, Pitlick signed a one-year contract to join the St. Louis Blues. He scored 7 goals and recorded 9 assists in 61 regular season games with the Blues.
On July 1, 2023, Pitlick signed a one-year, $787,500 contract to join the New York Rangers. He scored 1 goal and recorded 3 assists in 34 regular season games with the Rangers.
On October 16, 2024, Pitlick signed a one-year professional tryout contract to join the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 21 goals and recorded 25 assists in 59 regular season games with the Bruins.
On July 2, 2025, Pitlick signed a two-year contract to join the Minnesota Wild.
