Monday: The Golden Knights have released statements from Pietrangelo and GM Kelly McCrimmon. While stopping short of announcing it officially, it would appear as if Pietrangelo’s playing days may very well be over.
Pietrangelo:
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:
Alex has our organization’s full support in prioritizing his long-term health and quality of life. 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. 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. 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.
Sunday: After weeks of speculation, it’s looking more like Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo won’t be available next season. He’s in line for “multiple major surgeries” this offseason that will go so far as to jeopardize his career, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
The news comes just days after general manager Kelly McCrimmon spoke after the draft on Pietrangelo’s future. When asked whether or not Pietrangelo would be healthy enough to play next season, McCrimmon said it was something that still needed to be sorted out.
“We’re going to know more on that in the coming days. Alex and I have had a number of discussions. There are a number of decisions that need to be made. When I spoke earlier about having a number of things that need clarity, that would be one of them,” he said.
As rumors continue to intensify linking pending free agent Mitch Marner with the Golden Knights, Vegas now seemingly also faces the challenge of replacing Pietrangelo’s leadership and production. But moving Pietrangelo to long-term injured reserve before the start of free agency may free up the space the team needs to sign Marner, as outlined by Danny Webster of Las Vegas Review-Journal. Pietrangelo has two years remaining on his $8.8MM AAV deal, and the Knights currently have just $5.615MM in cap space, per PuckPedia.
Pietrangelo, 35, appeared in 71 games for the Golden Knights last season, posting four goals, 33 points, and a plus-11 rating. While he missed 11 games on the year and opted out of the Four Nations Faceoff due to injury, Pietrangelo averaged over 22:24 of ice time per game on the year, showcasing his ability to log meaningful minutes when healthy. The two-time Stanley Cup winner has produced 637 points throughout his 17-year career.
PHR’s Paul Griser contributed significantly to this article.
Well that’s Mitch enjoy Vegas
This will give Vegas an additional $8.8M in cap space which only help Vegas in FA to get Mitch Marner & potentially a few other pieces.
So long Pie, you had a great run.
And of course he’ll be ready to start round one game 1 of the playoffs…
If they did that CBA would would put them in cap hell. Believe it’s only 2.4 million that would be removed from his 9 million if he played
the new CBA is starting for the 2026-27 season, they agreed to the extension 1 year ahead
This just sounds fake and coordinated 2 days before Free agency. Wouldn’t this news have been known to player, doctors and the team and circulated in May? June? They probably didn’t want to blow up CBA negotiations either as this evasion is pretty hard to ignore. Seems like obvious cap games being played here.
So no trade deadline D help coming for VGK. It will be there for Game 1 of playoffs.
They’re not required to be cap compliant before free agency starts. I don’t think the timing really matters.
It’s not a conspiracy until he’s back for the playoffs
youre right, they have to be cap compliant before Game 1 of the Regular Season and not July 1st
The Golden Knights killed Kennedy.
VGK are the Trashtros of the NHL. Wouldn’t put anything past them.
Really sickening how Vegas is circumventing the non-existant off-season salary cap.
oilers did the exact thing w Kane and nobody complains. rent free.
This aged well. Hope you realize how pathetically petty you sound now.
If they sign Mitch, gonna be difficult to find cap space for Alex come playoff time.
Oh wait, that new rule doesn’t come into play until 2026.
Vegas always plays on the edge. Wonder what kind of under-the-table bonus Alex demanded to sit out the season?
He’s definitely getting multiple major surgeries just to help Vegas’ cap situation.
I mean in early June Cassidy said he wasn’t worried about the injury? What changed? needing $$$ for Marner or a real medical reason?
Definitely getting “multiple major surgeries” just to help the cap. What a team player.
For the whole season or for the whole season and then magically healthy for Game 1 of the playoffs?
Here we go 🙄
Mark Stone must be pissed that someone got to LTIR before him.
😂😂😂 might as well be Mark Glass
Suspicious timing, But welcome to Lost Wages Mitch Marner!
I mentioned this here weeks ago, that he’s likely going to retire.
Not a cap circumvention thing, a career-threatening thing.
What’s his career ending injury then? I don’t understand why VGK is being so unscrupulous. The Avs announced everything with Landeskog, the Hawks did the same with Kane and Towes….
Crooked business down there.
Because Vegas is hopeful that he’ll be back at some point. We’ll get more information soon.
But he won’t be playing this year. Get it out of your minds that it’s cap circumvention. The dude is seriously, legitimately banged up.
No Vegas player is ever allowed to be hurt.
Evander Kane didn’t play all year and had “multiple surgeries”. Was fine for ploffs.
If the dude is too injured to continue, that’s fine. But don’t skirt around with the head games. Announce something when you have something to announce.
Very coincidental this happened at the same time the leafs are accusing them of tampering…. All this stuff with them is bizarre.
“If the dude is too injured to continue, that’s fine. But don’t skirt around with the head games. Announce something when you have something to announce.”
Sounds like we’re all on the same page, then. So what exactly is your gripe?
Just have to survive this season.. when there’s new chance comes into play there will be no more loop holes. There will be a cap limit for playoffs which to be honest should have been the case in the first place. There should be a rule saying all players on the LTIR must play in the last 3 or 4 regular season game to qualify for playoff roster…and no conditioning stint in the ahl does NOT count as game played
How convenient.
This reeks of cap manipulation.
Needs multiple major surgeries but played 71 regular season games and the playoffs….
Maintenance season, will be 110% for playoffs.
Vegas was behind 9/11.
Wipe your chin off my guy. You missed a spot.
Our administration is going to be doing its best to preserve the integrity and good name of any US based team. God bless Las Vegas and God bless The United States of America!
Who is your guy?
This aged well. Would you like to revise this comment?
I’ll take the silence as tepid acknowledgement/embarrassment. Shame you couldn’t be man enough to admit your mistake.
They misspelled Mark Stone.
He has his yearly quota of 3 injuries he causes before he hits LTIR though.
Stone, not Pietrangelo.
What is the percentage that this dude is suited and booted for round one?
95%?
Not a word on the nature of the injury?
Let me guess – he’ll be healthy and ready to play in Game 1 of the playoffs, right ?
But the league will decide it was “legitimate” and not bother investigating it, right ?
“But moving Pietrangelo to long-term injured reserve before the start of free agency may free up the space the team needs to sign Marner, as outlined by Danny Webster of Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Pietrangelo has two years remaining on his $8.8MM AAV deal, and the Knights currently have just $5.615MM in cap space, per PuckPedia.”
Amazing coincidence.
Hey friend, just wondering if you’ve changed your tune in light of the news.
He will be fine come game 1 of the playoffs!!! This team is notorious for this bullshit!!!!
The VGK definitely ended this man’s career, and perhaps permanently disabled him, just to circumvent the cap. You sound so pathetically petty right now. Grow up.
The guy is probably never playing again. Drop it everyone. This wasn’t a secret if my goofy butt was privy to this weeks ago.
You weren’t.
I hope they get penalized as the should they are repeat offenders. Yet loungo cost van for years joke