Injured Alex Pietrangelo steps away, says ‘likelihood is low' of return to NHL

New York Times

01-07-2025

Vegas Golden Knights veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is stepping away from hockey due to serious hip injuries, he and the team announced Monday evening. In a team-released statement, Pietrangelo said the 'likelihood is low' that he will be able to play again, but he hasn't officially retired.
Pietrangelo, 35, missed 11 games for the Golden Knights during the season and declined to play for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February in an attempt to allow his hip issue to heal, but to no avail. Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement that Pietrangelo's injury would require 'bilateral femur reconstruction, with no guarantee of success,' but as of now, Pietrangelo has opted not to have the surgery, a team spokesperson said.
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The team didn't specify whether Pietrangelo would miss the 2025-26 season, or if he would be placed on the long-term injured reserve list.
The Golden Knights on Monday also completed a sign-and-trade for star winger Mitch Marner, a move that added $12 million to their annual cap ledger and put them far above the 2025-26 cap ceiling. Pietrangelo has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $8.8 million.
Vegas Golden Knights Provide Update on Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo #VegasBorn
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— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 1, 2025
As part of the statement, Pietrangelo said: '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. 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.'
McCrimmon said: '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.'
In 17 NHL seasons, Pietrangelo has played in 1,087 regular-season games and another 149 in the playoffs. He has 637 career points (148 goals and 489 assists) and won two Stanley Cup championships – in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and in 2023 with Vegas. He also won gold medals with Team Canada in the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
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Pietrangelo, who signed with Vegas as a free agent in 2020, has led the Golden Knights in average ice time for each of his five seasons with them.
'Alex has given everything to the game and to the Golden Knights and has played through significant challenges in the pursuit of trying to win another Stanley Cup in Vegas,' McCrimmon said in the statement. 'He is one of the most respected players in the league, not only for his elite talent but for his character, leadership, competitiveness, and professionalism. Today's decision is a difficult one for both Alex and the Golden Knights, but it is being made for the right reasons – so that Alex can be the family man we all know him to be.'