Alex Pietrangelo has stepped away from the Vegas Golden Knights for health reasons and his return is uncertain.
Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said the physical roadblocks facing the 35-year-old defenseman involve reconstructive surgery to address worsening hip issues.
Pietrangelo had 33 points (29 assists) in 71 games in 2024-25 and had six points in 10 postseason games. The two-time Stanley Cup winner and three-time All-Star was the fourth overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2008.
“The past few years have been very challenging on my physical well-being, and I am in a difficult position with my overall playing health,” Pietrangelo said in a statement Monday night. “After exploring options with doctors as well as my family, it’s been advised to remove the intensity of hockey to see if my body can improve so that I can return to a normal quality of life.
“This decision has been difficult to come to terms with after the last 17 years of competition and the camaraderie with my teammates and coaches. The likelihood is low that my body will recover to the standard required to play, but I know this is the right decision for me and my family.”
Pietrangelo dealt with the issue most of the season and withdrew from Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off to instead have the extended layoff.
He has 637 career points (148 goals, 489 assists) and a plus-123 rating in 1,087 regular-season games. He has 80 points in his playoff career with a stellar plus-26 rating.
Pietrangelo won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, scoring the decisive goal in a 4-1 victory against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in Game 7 of the Final. He joined Vegas as a free agent in 2020 and captured a second championship there in 2023.
“Alex has our organization’s full support in prioritizing his long-term health and quality of life,” McCrimmon said. “Alex is dealing with hips that would require bilateral femur reconstruction, with no guarantee of success. Throughout the season, the steps that Alex needed to take to be able to play and practice began to grow and take a significant toll on his body. Our hope in February during the NHL’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off was to give Alex treatment and rest to help provide relief, but instead what we found were diminished positive results and a process that is no longer sustainable moving forward.”
–Field Level Media
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