CBC grad Vitale to be at Scottrade Center as Penguins will battle Blues

The Christian Brothers College hockey coaching staff is going to have their eye on a Penguin during Pittsburgh’s game with the St. Louis Blues.

Coach John Jost and his assistants will be at Scottrade Center on Tuesday (Jan. 24) to see the game.

They’ll have their eyes trained on CBC graduate Joe Vitale,  who will be making his first visit to St. Louis as a visiting NHL player.

Vitale, 26, was part of three Cadet state championships, two undefeated seasons and one national title.

“He played all four years for us,” Jost said. “He played one game his freshman year as a defenseman then we made him a center, which he still is today. Joe was an outstanding two way player and leader for us.”

Jost said he believed Vitale might have the opportunity to make it in the NHL.

“In his senior year, I remember, as coaches, all of us thinking he had a chance,” Jost said.

Vitale is the only four year graduate from CBC in the NHL, Jost said. Philip McRae is the only other NHL player from CBC but he only went to CBC for one year.

Jost stays in touch with his former Cadet.

“Joe and I usually text each other about once a week,” Jost said. “Joe’s tremendous attitude, skill and grit has gotten him to the NHL.”

After CBC, Vitale played for the St. Louis Junior Blues of the Central States Hockey League for two season including a national championship in 2003-04. In 2004-05, he played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League.

On July 30, 2005, Vitale was drafted by the Penguins with the 195th selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

He enrolled in Northeastern University and began his college career as a freshman in 2005-06. He was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week in February and received Northeastern’s Ed Arrington Memorial Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2006-07, he was named alternate captain of the squad as a sophomore and was named to Hockey East’s All-Academic Team.

As a junior in 2007-08, he was named All-New England and New England’s Most Improved Player, was named to the All-Hockey East Second Team, and was Northeastern’s Most Valuable Player.

Vitale’s college career concluded when Northeastern lost to Cornell in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Northeastern’s first trip to the NCAA tournament in 15 years. He finished his career at Northeastern with 34 goals and 60 assists for 94 points and 268 penalty minutes in 143 games.

On April 3, 2009, Vitale signed a one-year, entry level NHL contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2009-10 season. He also signed a contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the remainder of the 2008-09 season.  He recorded his first professional goal and assist on April 4, 2009 against the Albany River Rats.

He finished the season with 4 points in 5 regular season games.

During the 2009–10 season, Vitale played in 74 games in the AHL, scoring six goals and recording 26 assists for a total of 32 points.

In January 2010, the Penguins and Vitale agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2011–12 season.

Vitale made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 10, 2011, against the Los Angeles Kings. On Feb. 16, 2011, Vitale scored his first NHL goal against Peter Budaj of the Colorado Avalanche.