Extending the Pipeline: Teo Pisani

OKOTOKS, AB (April 5, 2025) – St. Albert’s own, Teo Pisani is playing his first season with the Okotoks Oilers after being acquired from the Spruce Grove Saints on January 5, 2025.

The move to Okotoks marked the first time Pisani’s home ice has been outside the Edmonton area, as he played for teams based in Spruce Grove and St. Albert before heading south.

“Yeah, it’s a bit different, just living away from home, but I’m enjoying it,” Pisani said about playing in Okotoks. “In Spruce Grove I was living at home, so it wasn’t too bad. But yeah, here (Okotoks) is the first time I’ve actually been away. It was kind of hard at first, just being away from home, but I’m enjoying it now. I’m liking all the boys and the team and stuff. So, I’m transitioning pretty good I think.”

While Pisani describes himself as a quieter guy, his billet mom Joelle is quite the opposite as she gets paid to talk as a radio DJ.

“She’s awesome, I love living with her. She’s great to have around the house, like looking after me and stuff. She’s a really good cook as well, so it’s awesome to have her,” he said about his billet mom. “I’m more of a quieter guy, so she definitely tries to get me out of my comfort zone and talk a bit. It’s all good, I like it when she does it though.”

He added that while he’s not super big into cars, he makes sure to pick his billet dad Jason’s brain about his work as he has a ton of knowledge about automobiles.

Pisani has experienced many changes since arriving at his new team in Okotoks, one familiar thing was joining his lifelong friend Jacob Goudreau as a member of the Green and Gold.

“I think that made it easier, just knowing someone before I came here to kind of just help me get settled in and that kind of stuff,” Pisani mentioned about Goudreau helping him. “I played a bit with him growing up. I played more against him growing up and then our first year of U18 we played together. That was the last time I saw him and then yeah coming in here playing with him, it’s awesome. I like playing with him. He’s good, a good guy and a good teammate.”

He added that he and Goudreau go a bit harder on each other as they both possess a competitive spirit and have fun pushing each other.

Pisani’s dad Fernando, who is a former NHL forward for the Edmonton Oilers and the Chicago Blackhawks feels the move for his son came at the right time.

“Truthfully I think it’s come at the right time for him to kind of move on and not just develop on the ice but, off the ice and mature in terms of what it’s like to be a pro. This is kind of his first year of not having any school and just being focused on hockey. So, just kind of what it takes to go to the next level, the time and effort, and the preparation it takes to master your craft and to continue to move on. So, I think this is really good timing for him to move out, move away from home and become his own person,” Fernando said about Pisani’s move.

He has taken the same route his dad did in pursuing a career in hockey as both Pisani and Fernando went the Junior A route along with getting commitments from NCAA schools.

“It’s been a lot of fun watching him grow and develop from a young hockey player to playing at the junior level, which is a big accomplishment within itself. But, just him having the drive, the compete, and the willingness to put the time and effort into becoming really good at his craft. It just shows the testament to the type of kid and the type of person that he is,” Fernando added.

While Fernando added that he is a bit biased about the Junior A to NCAA route, he felt it would be the best path forward for Pisani.

“For us at that time to make a decision to go NCAA instead of the WHL was just more of a longer runway and I didn’t think that Teo was physically ready to jump into that situation. I felt that (Junior A) gave him more of an opportunity to get bigger, stronger and faster. So that’s kind of the reason I was leaning towards that, and then obviously having your school and education to fall back on is enormous, right? I look at my career and hockey is a short window of your life, and there is definitely more to life than hockey. I just want him to be prepared for that as well,” Fernando said about the choice to go the Junior A route.

Fernando would also add how special it is to see Pisani and Goudreau playing for the same team after growing up together.

“They grew up together and were either playing with each other or they were against each other pretty much their whole hockey careers. So, it’s been really fun for me as a dad, sitting back and watching that, and then having him get traded over to the Oilers there and having Jacob there. I think it’s been a huge help for him to make that transition. Jacob’s been a good friend of Teo’s since they were little kids, so it’s obviously great to see them be on the same team and continue their journey in hockey for sure,” Fernando explained about Pisani and Goudreau’s friendship.

Fernando even though he played in the NHL was still subject to scrutiny by Pisani as he paid close attention to how his dad was playing.

“Just the odd time he will kind of watch and see, and kind of chirp me a little bit. If I do a charity game when they would come and watch, he would say ‘You know, you always tell me to back check and play hard without the puck, and reload.’ He said ‘I didn’t see you do that there’, I always tell him ‘Do as I say, not as I do,” Fernando joked.

Less than 10 days after Pisani was acquired by the Oilers he would have to face his former team the Spruce Grove Saints. Throughout the game, the Saints would get in Pisani’s face to try and agitate him, but his even-keel attitude wouldn’t let it faze him.

“I’m good buddies with everyone on the (Saints). So, there is nothing off the ice, it’s just on the ice they are trying to get me fired up and trying to make me make mistakes. I’m good buddies with all those guys, so it’s all fun and games,” Pisani said about his former teammates grilling him.

Pisani showcased last season that he can be a force in the postseason as he scored a hat trick in game three against the Oilers while he was still with the Saints.

“I think it’s just the importance of the games and I think it just kind of fires me up a bit more,” he said about finding success in the playoffs. “It’s fun playing in fun environments and arenas that are packed. So I think that definitely helps motivate me a bit more.”

“That was pretty sick. That was the first hat trick of my junior career. So, it’s kind of funny that it was against the Oilers and I’m here the next season. But yeah, It was awesome. It was a cool experience,” Pisani said about the hat trick.

A skill that helped Pisani capture the hat trick against the Green and Gold last postseason is his shot as he possesses great aim and can rip it home.

“Yeah, I think it’s just shooting pucks as a kid. Me and my brother would always rip pucks. We had a pretty sick rink growing up, so we’d always go outside, and spend time just ripping pucks there. I think that’s helped me a lot,” he explained.

Pisani is the middle child of his household as he has an older sister Alexa and a younger brother Jaxon.

“They’re pretty funny growing up together. Like me and my brother would always be playing hockey and stuff, then my sister, she’s pretty funny,” Pisani said about his siblings.

He joked saying that he doesn’t know if he should say his sister’s funny because he doesn’t want to admit it. He added that Alexa likes to bug Pisani and Jaxon but he enjoys them both.

“Depends on the day pretty much. Like whoever is the target that day, it kind of switches every day almost. I’d say me and my brother more give it to my sister, but it switches up every day pretty much,” he said about who gets picked on the most.

While the brothers may have picked on Alexa more than the other way around, Pisani and Jaxon never forced her to play in net while they took shots on goal.

“No, she was never in net, but she broke her wrist one time when we were playing hockey outside. She already had one broken wrist and she was playing, and we were in our backyard rink. She slipped and fell and broke her other wrist out there. So, I think that’s the last time she played with us,” Pisani explained.

Alexa didn’t play hockey growing up like her brothers as she decided to play soccer and volleyball instead. Pisani said that Alexa is now at the U of A continuing her studies.

As for his younger brother Jaxon who plays the game of puck, Pisani has made sure to let his brother pick his brain about junior hockey which he hopes to play one day.

“Yeah, he just kind of asks me what it’s like and just what it’s like at a higher level where he’s probably going to go soon here as he gets older. He always asks me a bunch of questions if he has some,” he said.

As for being the middle child, Pisani said it’s not that bad and enjoys both his siblings.

“It’s not bad. My sister goes through stuff first and then gives me advice and then I give my brother advice. So it’s kind of easy having an older sibling so that definitely helps,” Pisani mentioned.

Along with his siblings, Pisani is very thankful for his parents Heidi and Fernando.

“They both mean a lot to me, especially my dad, just having the hockey knowledge and coaching ability. Obviously, my mom helps a lot too. She probably watches more hockey than the average person. She never played hockey, but she definitely knows the game and is always telling me stuff too. They’re both huge parts of my career so far and supported me on and off the ice. They’re both amazing, just supporting me with that kind of stuff,” he explained.

Pisani added that it is a bit different for his parents not having him home but he makes sure to talk to them every day on the phone.

He mentioned that he thinks it’s cool to have a dad who played in the NHL but said he gets chirped by opposing players to this day about it.

“He’s helped so much, like all the time and energy and everything he’s put in and just teaching me everything. He’s been awesome. He’s definitely why I am where I am,” Pisani said about his dad.

Pisani has earned a commitment with the University of Nebraska-Omaha for postsecondary hockey which is the same school as his current teammate Brennen Hocher is committed to.

“Yeah, I think when I first got here he was one of the guys who I had talked to more. I think we just kind of connected over that, just how cool it is to be going there and just talk about things like how they’re doing in the season and just with all that kind of stuff,” he said about being committed to the same school as Hocher.

He added that he watched the NCAA growing up and continues to watch the league. He’s excited for the opportunity and can’t wait to one day play in the NCAA.

While Pisani wasn’t born when his dad scored the famous game-six overtime goal in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes while he was with the Edmonton Oilers, he is still well aware of his dad’s shorthanded game-winning goal.

“Yeah, I think it’s awesome, it’s sick. We’ll be at an Oilers game and he’ll still be getting recognized, for that goal even too. Just guys coming up to him and talk about the ’06 playoff run and stuff like that. I think it’s pretty cool, I’ve watched that clip probably a hundred times. It’s a sick goal,” Pisani said about his dad’s famous goal.

Since his dad played in the NHL Pisani got to experience the Oilers and Blackhawks locker rooms as a youth growing up.

“I don’t really remember too much about the Oilers but, I just remember the one trainer. I don’t remember his name, but he’d always give me these pieces of gum and I just remember my mouth being full of gum because he would just keep giving them to me. In Chicago, that’s where I remember more, just hanging around there, skating on the ice with them and just getting snacks from the trainer,” he explained.

When asked if it’s weird playing for a team named the Oilers due to his dad playing for the Edmonton Oilers, Pisani said a little bit but then joked it’s more weird that there is a team in the Calgary area being named the Oilers.

As for the Green Army, Pisani has felt welcomed into the town and appreciates the support that the team gets every night.

“It’s awesome for the support. I like playing in front of big crowds, so it’s awesome that people from the town come. Every first Tuesday of the month you go and do grocery bagging for the grocery store, so it’s awesome to see people come up to us and talk about the season and everything. So yeah, just lots of support from them, so it’s great,” Pisani said.

10 questions with Teo Pisani

What is the most embarrassing song on your current playlist?

“Probably Crazy In Love by Beyoncé.”

What is your go-to cheat meal?

“That’s a good question. I’d have to say probably like a big juicy burger. There is this place back home, I don’t know if they have any in Calgary at all, but it’s called Jack’s Burger Shack, and they make some pretty good burgers.”

If you could meet anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?

“Wayne Gretzky would be pretty sick. Just kind of talk to him and all that stuff. Anyone of those old hockey legends, like Paul Coffey and all those Oilers.”

Favourite player and team growing up?

“My favourite player growing up was Patrick Kane. I just think he’s so sick, his hands are unreal, and he’s awesome. So, I think he’s definitely my favourite player. He still is right now. Then probably the Oilers and then Chicago. I like Chicago because my dad played there and because of Patrick Kane too. Those have been my two teams. Pretty much I cheer for both of them and then if they’re playing each other, I’d take the Oilers.”

Favourite movie and TV show?

“My favourite show is The Office, it’s really funny. I love watching it. I started watching it this year and I finished it so quick. I kind of started watching it and then I just wasn’t interested in the first episode and then came back to it and it’s been my favourite show, it’s so funny.”

Would you rather go to the past or the future?

“I think the past, just to see what it’s like without technology and that stuff. You can’t text your buddies, you have to go bike over to their house or whatever to talk to them. I think that would be pretty cool. Probably the 70’s or 80’s.”

What song gets you pumped up?

“Kickstart My Heart (By Mötley Crüe) has been one of the last song I listen to before going on the rink. It’s pretty sick, it gets me fired up.”

What is the best chirp you have ever said or heard?

“I’m not a huge chirper. I only chirp guys if they did stuff to me. I don’t really have a go-to chirp. Just comes to me off the fly. Probably just chirp about my dad, that’s probably the most common one I get. It doesn’t even bother me, I heard it a million times.”

Where in the world would you go if I could snap my fingers and get you there right now?

“Two years ago with my family, we went to Greece. I think it was Crete Greece, it was awesome there. The beaches were unreal, so that’s probably like my favourite place I’ve ever been to, so I’d have to say there.”

Who on the team would you have as an emergency contact?

“Probably Ben Vatis because I live with him.”

Bonus

Favourite sport other than hockey?

“I would have to say either basketball or pickleball. I’m a huge pickleball fan, it’s pretty fun to play in the summers.”

If you could relive one day in your life, what day would you choose?

“Probably when I was in Atom. We were at Provincials and I scored the overtime-winning goal to win Provincials. That was pretty sick and then just being with all the boys back on the bus back home, it was awesome.”

Best advice you have got from your parents?

“Probably just have fun, I think thats the biggest thing. Just having fun with whatever you’re doing. Making sure you’re enjoying it.”

What is your secret talent?

“I don’t know if it’s a talent, but I can speak French. I went to a French immersion school.”