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Alex Pietrangelo

Alex Pietrangelo Placed On LTIR, Unlikely To Play Again

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Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon stated today that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has officially been placed on LTIR and that the veteran is unlikely to play again, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. McCrimmon’s grim outlook reinforces the picture that both he and Pietrangelo have been painting in recent days regarding Pietrangelo’s future.

On Sunday, after weeks of speculation, it was announced that Pietrangelo would need to undergo “multiple major surgeries” this offseason, likely putting his 2025-26 season in jeopardy. On Monday, things became even more bleak as Pietrangelo and McCrimmon discussed the defender’s future, with Pietrangelo stating how challenging the last few seasons have been on his physical well-being.

“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,” he said.

McCrimmon added that Pietrangelo would need to have bilateral femur reconstruction in order to resume his playing career, and that the procedure would not guarantee a return to health.

“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,” McCrimmon said.

A day later, it appears McCrimmon has seemingly made Pietrangelo’s future official. If this is the end of the road for Pietrangelo’s playing career, the 35-year-old retires with 1,087 games played, 637 points, and two Stanley Cup championships.

Alex Pietrangelo Expected To Miss 2025-26 Season

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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.

Knights Without Dorofeyev For Game 2, Pietrangelo Possible To Return

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9:50 PM: Pietrangelo is in the lineup, skating on the team’s second pairing alongside Nicolas Hague, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

9:20 PM: The Vegas Golden Knights will be without winger Pavel Dorofeyev for their Game 2 matchup against the Oilers, while defender Alex Pietrangelo will be a game time decision, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

Dorofeyev has been out of the lineup since sustaining an injury in Game 5 of their opening-round matchup against the Minnesota Wild. His injury remains undisclosed and remains day-to-day. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene this season, scoring 35 goals while playing all 82 regular season games. He surpassed his previous career high in goals by 22 and more than doubled his personal best in points. In the first-round series, he recorded a goal and an assist over five games. His goal scoring prowess would be a welcomed return for the Golden Knights, especially considering the Oilers lead all playoff teams with 4.43 goals per game.

Pietrangelo is currently battling an illness, but head coach Bruce Cassidy said the veteran has a chance to play and that the team would be making a game-time call on his participation.  In 71 games on the season, Pietrangelo posted four goals, 33 points, a plus-11 rating, and 139 blocked shots. Perhaps most importantly, the veteran of more than 1,000 career games also averaged a hefty 22:24 of ice time per game, eating valuable minutes on the back end. The two-time Stanley Cup champ (including one with Vegas) was off to a hot start in the playoffs as well, posting a goal and two assist in six games, while again averaging more than 22 minutes of ice time per night. His return to the lineup is equally important as Dorofeyev’s when it comes to matching up against the star-studded Oilers.

Morning Notes: Pietrangelo, Jankowski, Robertson, Heiskanen

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The Vegas Golden Knights were without alternate captain Alex Pietrangelo is Game 1 of the Second Round on Tuesday due to illness. The Golden Knights fell to the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 4-2 without their top-pair defenseman. Pietrangelo played tough minutes for the Golden Knights through the first round, even recording 28:48 in ice time in their overtime win in Game 4. He’s totaled three points in six playoff appearances, while averaging roughly 22:30 in nightly ice time. That mark makes Pietrangelo the second-most utilized defenseman in Vegas’ postseason behind Noah Hanifin, who also has three points. Pietrangelo’s plus-two leads the club in playoff plus-minus, and makes him one of just two defenders with a positive mark, beside Nicolas Hague (plus-one).

The Golden Knights turned towards Kaedan Korczak is Pietrangelo’s absence. Korczak received a sheltered role and under 14 minutes of ice time in what was the first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance of his career. He played through his sophomore season in the NHL this year, netting 10 assists in 40 games after posting nine points in 26 games last season. Korczak is a young, lumbering defenseman who fits Vegas’ M.O. when it comes to shutting down the back-end. But it seems the Golden Knights will need more than that to get around Edmonton and superstar Connor McDavid, who had a point on all four of the Oilers’ goals in Game 1. With a pair of days to rest, Pietrangelo should at least be questionable for Game 2.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Carolina Hurricanes forward Mark Jankowski left the team’s Game 1 matchup early on Tuesday after sustaining an undisclosed injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour shared that Jankowski’s injury wasn’t serious and that he’ll be a gametime decision for Thursday’s Game 2, per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Jankowski was red-hot in the back-half of Carolina’s regular season after joining the team at the Trade Deadline. He scored eight goals in 19 games with the ’Canes, while shooting at an incredible 38.1 percent success rate. Those numbers have cooled down significantly in the postseason, though Jankowski does have one assist through three appearances so far. He’s been demoted to a seldomly-used, bottom-six role over the start of the postseason, and should be easy to replace if he’s forced to miss time.
  • Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer has shared that forward Jason Robertson will be a game-time decision for Wednesday night’s Game 1, while defenseman Miro Heiskanen will continue to sit out, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. Getting Robertson back would be an incredible boost for the Stars roster. The winger led the team in goals (35) and ranked second in points (80) through 82 games this season. He continues to stand as a pillar of goal-scoring for the Stars, even as he falls short of reaching the 46 goals and 109 points he posted two seasons ago. Robertson has a pattern of producing in the postseason – with 38 points in 45 career games compiled between 2022 and 2024. Heiskanen will be much of the same upgrade when he’s back to full health. He again served as Dallas’ top defenseman this season and managed 25 points in 50 games before going down with injury. Heiskanen has 61 points in 85 career playoff games, including 16 points in 19 games last season.

Injury Notes: Golden Knights, Avalanche, Middleton

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The Vegas Golden Knights were one of many teams to get a wave of positive injury updates on Friday. Neither star forward Jack Eichel nor top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo are expected to play on Saturday, but both are nearing a return, head coach Bruce Cassidy told Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Both players have missed Vegas’ last two games – Eichel with a day-to-day upper-body injury and Pietrangelo with illness. That same illness has also held winger Victor Olofsson and defender Nicolas Hague out of Vegas’ last two games. Cassidy shared that he had no updates on the latter two absentees, as they’re away from the rink with their sickness.

Getting Eichel back from injury will be a major addition as Vegas prepares for the postseason. He leads the squad in scoring this year with 27 goals and 93 points in 76 games – nearly 30 more points than Mark Stone’s 67 points ranked second. This is Eichel’s first season playing more than 70 games since the 2018-19 season, when he recorded his previous career-high 82 points with the Buffalo Sabres. The year has been more a return to routine health than a true breakout, but either way, Eichel has smashed his career-mark and is set to rival 100 points for the first time in his career. He’ll likely fall just short, as Vegas has just two games left after Saturday’s matchup against Nashville.

Meanwhile, Pietrangelo leads a strong – but sick – supporting cast. He has 33 points in 70 games this season, third-most on the Vegas blue-line. Pietrangelo leads the Golden Knights lineup in average ice time per game with 22:24 – surprisingly the lowest ice time average he’s recorded since his rookie season in 2010-11. He’ll jump right back to a top-pair role when he returns, while Olofsson and Hague will find their way in Vegas’ middle lines. Olofsson has managed 14 goals and 27 points in 54 games this season – stout scoring for his first year with the club. Hague, meanwhile, once again ranks near the bottom of scoring among Golden Knights defenders, with just 11 points in 66 games so far.

Other injury notes from around the league:

  • A pair of veteran members of the Avalanche took a step toward returning as Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette relays that winger Jonathan Drouin joined the team for practice yesterday in a non-contact jersey as he works his way back from a lower-body injury.  Meanwhile, defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) skated on his own.  Drouin has been banged up all season but has been productive when healthy, collecting 37 points in 43 games, good for sixth on the team in scoring despite missing 37 contests.  Manson, meanwhile, has been out for nearly a month now but has done well when playing, collecting 15 points in 48 games while averaging a little over 18 minutes per night of playing time.
  • Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton missed his third straight game last night due to an upper-body injury.  However, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that the blueliner is a possibility to return for tonight’s contest in Vancouver.  Middleton has been a critical part of Minnesota’s back end this year, logging nearly 22 minutes per game of ice time while also chipping in with 20 points in 66 outings.  The Wild are still trying to lock down a playoff spot and getting Middleton back would be a big boost to help them try to do just that.

PHR’s Brian La Rose also contributed to this post.

Pacific Notes: Tocchet, Hertl, Pietrangelo, Zary, Blueger

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Despite being rumored as a coveted option by the Philadelphia Flyers, there’s little expectation Vancouver Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet will be available to other teams this summer. In an article from Thomas Drance of The Athletic (subscription required), a source from inside the Canucks organization has indicated the team will exercise their option on Tocchet’s contract for next season, and are already viewing him as next year’s coach.

Furthermore, Drance reports that the team is interested in extending Tocchet beyond next season rather than having him on a one-year contract. Plenty can change in a year, but all signs indicate Tocchet will be the only recent recipient of the Jack Adams Award, outside the Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour, to remain with the team well beyond winning the award.

There’s no doubting the Canucks’ interest in an extension either. Since taking over for Bruce Boudreau halfway through the 2022-23 season, Vancouver has managed a 104-61-25 record under Tocchet’s stewardship, putting him second in organizational history in points percentage. Additionally, Tocchet helped the Canucks win their first division title since the 2012-13 season, which is even more impressive considering he had to navigate through a murky relationship between the team’s top two forwards at the time, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • Don’t expect forward Tomáš Hertl or defenseman Alex Pietrangelo back for the Vegas Golden Knights this weekend. According to a report from Jason R. Pothier and Ken Boehlke at SinBin, neither Hertl (upper body) nor Pietrangelo (lower body) will return by the end of the weekend due to their respective injuries. Fortunately, it doesn’t appear Hertl will miss much more time, as the two reporters indicate he could return as early as next week.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that further tests will be conducted to assess the severity of Connor Zary’s knee injury. The young forward for the Calgary Flames awkwardly collided with the Dallas Stars’ Mikko Rantanen shortly into the third period of last night’s contest and required help getting off the ice after a lengthy meet with the trainer. Fortunately, Dreger believes the early prognosis of Zary’s injury was positive. Still, as the fifth-highest scoring forward on the Flames with 27 points in 54 games, Calgary will need Zary in the lineup should they have any hope of catching up to the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
  • Moving back to British Columbia, context has been provided regarding the Canucks’ call-up of Max Sasson earlier this morning. According to Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic, forward Teddy Blueger is questionable for tonight’s contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets due to the flu. Unfortunately, if his illness were to prohibit him from playing tonight, it would be the first time Blueger has missed a game all season. The consistent bottom-six forward has scored eight goals and 23 points in 72 games with Vancouver this season.

Drew Doughty Named To Team Canada For 4 Nations Face-Off

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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty has officially been named to Team Canada for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off (Twitter Link). The veteran defenseman will serve as the injury replacement for Vegas Golden Knights defender Alex Pietrangelo, who opted to withdraw from the tournament.

The 35-year-old has had a decorated international career, winning two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, and is also a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Kings having won titles in 2012 and 2014.

Doughty himself just returned from injury a few weeks ago after he suffered a broken left ankle in an exhibition game back in September. He missed 47 games due to the injury and was expected to miss most of the regular season. However, he returned to practice in mid-January ahead of schedule before returning to game action in late January. The injury likely kept Doughty’s name off the initial roster for Team Canada, but with Pietrangelo not playing Doughty will have an opportunity to add to his career accomplishments.

Since returning to the lineup, Doughty has suited up in six games for the Kings, posting a single assist, nine blocked shots and seven hits. While those numbers aren’t in line with his typical production, Doughty has slowly ramped up his play after struggling in his first two games back. Doughty was -4 in the two games after his return but has settled in the last three games, posting the nine blocked shots and a +3 plus/minus.

The Kings have leaned heavily on Doughty thus far as he has averaged 26:57 of ice time per game, including 31:09 in last night’s shootout loss to Anaheim.

Canada’s Alex Pietrangelo Withdraws From 4 Nations Face-Off

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The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has chosen to withdraw from the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off to tend to what they describe as an “ailment” and prepare for the remaining season.

Pietrangelo has appeared in 46 of Vegas’ 49 games this season, having missed six days of action with an upper-body injury in November. He’s otherwise been as consistent as they come, averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time and serving roles on both of Vegas’ special teams. He ranks second among the team’s blue-line in scoring with 25 points in 46 games, confidently behind Shea Theodore’s 44 points. Pietrangelo also ranks second on the team in blocked shots with 87. Even at the age of 35, Pietrangelo has continued to serve in a premier role for the Golden Knights.

Pietrangelo was named to Team Canada’s 4-Nations Face-Off roster on December 3rd, alongside Golden Knights teammate Theodore and former St. Louis Blues teammate Colton Parayko. The trio made up half of a blue-line that also featured Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Josh Morrissey, and Travis Sanheim. With Pietrangelo opting to withdraw, Canada will have to go back to the drawing board to find their final defender. Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard, New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton, and San Jose’s Jake Walman lead all available options in NHL scoring.

The reasons for Pietrangelo’s withdrawal seem unclear. He has shown no signs of injury through the recent stretch and has even recorded an assist in four of Vegas’ last five games. Pietrangelo is also signed through the end of the 2026-27 season, giving him a reasonable chance at making Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics with a strong showing at the 4-Nations tournament. But he’ll now back out to keep his sights on Vegas’ success.  The Golden Knights currently rank third in the Western Conference and fourth in the NHL with 64 points. They seem clearly in sight of a playoff berth, where they’ll get a chance to chase their second Stanley Cup in the last three years. Pietrangelo also won a Cup in St. Louis.

Pacific Notes: Granlund, Karlsson, Pietrangelo, Helenius, Moverare

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San Jose Sharks forward Mikael Granlund will miss his second straight game and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury (as per Sharks beat writer Curtis Pashelka). The Sharks leading scorer took part in the team’s morning skate but will not play tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

Granlund is in his second season with San Jose and continues to produce offense with nine goals and 15 assists in 23 games. The 32-year-old likely won’t be out for long which is good news for the Sharks as Granlund is almost a certainty to be dealt before the NHL trade deadline.

In other Pacific Division notes:

  • The Vegas Golden Knights tweeted that forward William Karlsson and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo should play tonight’s against the Colorado Avalanche. Karlsson missed the first eight games of the season with a lower-body injury but missed Monday nights for the birth of his second child. The 31-year-old has been solid since returning to action, posting six goals and four assists in 13 games. Pietrangelo suffered an upper-body injury on November 20th in Toronto and has sat out the last three games. He has had a terrific start to the season, with 14 points in his first 19 games.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled forward Samuel Helenius and defenseman Jacob Moverare from the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (as per AHL Transactions page).  The Kings have made several paper transactions with the two players as of late, trying to do what they can to maximize cap space. The 22-year-old Helenius has dressed in six NHL games this season for the Kings, posting two assists while averaging just over nine minutes a game. Moverare has gone scoreless in four games this season for Los Angeles, averaging a tick over 12 minutes of ice time per game.

Golden Knights Activate Nicolas Hague, Pietrangelo Still Day-To-Day

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The Vegas Golden Knights will see the return of defenseman Nicolas Hague this evening as the organization announced they activated him off the injured reserve shortly before their contest against the Montreal Canadiens. Hague has been on the shelf for three weeks with an undisclosed injury and will play in his first contest tonight since November 2nd.

Hague has been an ultra-consistent defenseman for the Golden Knights since the team selected him with the 34th overall selection of the 2017 NHL Draft. He’s coming off an impressive stretch from 2022 to 2024 which saw him post some of the best defensive metrics of his career.

His 154-game stretch over the last two years only yielded five goals and 29 points on offense. On the defensive side of the puck, Hague racked up 244 blocks, 27o hits, a 91.3% on-ice save percentage in all situations, and an Expected +/- of 2.8. He became a focal piece of the Golden Knights defensive core leading the organization to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2023.

It unfortunately won’t be a completely healthy defensive core for Vegas tonight against Montreal. Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported earlier that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is still considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Webster confirmed that Pietrangelo is progressing well through his injury but he will still miss his second straight game due to the ailment.

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