Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is stepping from hockey due to ongoing health issues, the team announced Monday.
While not officially retiring, the 35-year-old acknowledged that it's unlikely he'll be able to resume his career.
"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. "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."
General manager Kelly McCrimmon revealed that Pietrangelo needs bilateral femur reconstruction in both hips. The procedures would not guarantee him any future in hockey, though.
"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," McCrimmon said. "... 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."
The Golden Knights will place Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve, according to Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. They'll be able to exceed the salary cap by his $8.8-million cap hit while he's on LTIR.
Vegas reportedly added Mitch Marner on an eight-year, $96-million sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier Monday. The Golden Knights have also reportedly discussed a trade with the Calgary Flames for Rasmus Andersson - a potential replacement for Pietrangelo on the right side of Vegas' blue line.
The Golden Knights' defense currently consists of Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb, Zach Whitecloud, Ben Hutton, Kaedan Korczak, and Jeremy Lauzon, who was acquired from the Predators on Sunday in a trade that sent fellow blue-liner Nic Hague to Nashville.
Pietrangelo appeared in 71 games for the Golden Knights this past season, collecting 33 points while averaging 22:34 per contest.
The native of King City, Ontario, joined Vegas on a seven-year, $61.6-million deal before the 2020-21 season. He helped lead the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023, four years after captaining the St. Louis Blues to a title.
Originally selected fourth overall by St. Louis in 2008, Pietrangelo has recorded 148 goals and 637 points over 1,087 regular-season games with the Blues and Golden Knights. He finished top five in Norris Trophy voting in 2012, 2014, and 2020.
Internationally, Pietrangelo helped Canada win the 2009 world juniors, 2014 Olympic gold medal, and 2016 World Cup.
