Alex Pietrangelo did not play for the Vegas Golden Knights on October 8. Interestingly, the veteran defenseman’s absence carried a deeper significance than a single night off. While he battled a nagging hip injury through last season and the playoffs, Pietrangelo had spoken only weeks earlier about keeping his options open. He said, “Nothing’s really concrete. I’m going to take it day by day and go through my process and see where it goes.” 

In the most unfortunate manner, the Golden Knights have now declared Pietrangelo out for the entire season. And much to the dismay of the fans, the decision was later confirmed by the NHL, NHLPA, and Pietrangelo himself. As per reports from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, “In submitting their Opening Day roster, Vegas declared future Hall-of-Famer Alex Pietrangelo out for the season and playoffs (with approval of the NHL, NHLPA & player). The Golden Knights are eligible for full cap relief.” Now, this means that the franchise will now have access to Pietrangelo’s full $8.8 million cap hit with him going on LTIR.

For Pietrangelo, such a development has come as a difficult phase in his career, after having missed parts of last season through injury too.The 35-year-old announced on June 30 that he was stepping away to prioritize his health and family after enduring months of physical strain. “I’m continuing to rehab, I’m going to continue to do that,” he said. “First and foremost, I think being able to be a dad and being able to do the things I want to do as a dad is very important to me.” His words, measured yet personal, reflected a player trying to find balance between an unrelenting sport and life beyond it.

However, back in September, he sounded pretty positive. Reflecting on how well his rehabilitation was going, Pietrangelo described the experience as “very refreshing.” Unfortunately, when General Manager Kelly McCrimmon was asked about Pietrangelo’s long-term prospects back in July, his response had a grim tone. McCrimmon doubted the defenseman would ever return to the ice. Had they chosen to keep open the possibility of a late-season return, that number would have dropped to roughly $3.8 million, the league’s average salary.

For now, Pietrangelo remains on long-term injured reserve, his future uncertain but his impact undisputed. Drafted fourth overall by St. Louis in 2008, the King City, Ontario native has appeared in 1,087 NHL games, recording 148 goals and 637 points, and adding Olympic gold in Sochi in 2014. The Golden Knights will be opening their regular season against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. And without the services of Pietrangelo, it will be interesting to see how things pan out for the team.

Was Alex Pietrangelo already sensing his setback before stepping back?

Despite Vegas finishing first in the Pacific Division with a 50-22-10 record, the team fell to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five games. Pietrangelo explained that his decision to step away stemmed from a desire to reclaim a normal quality of life, remarking, “I wouldn’t say anything changed, I guess going through what I went through last year to be able to play at the level I thought I could get to was obviously very difficult.” 

Throughout the preseason, Pietrangelo immersed himself in the locker room. He offered guidance to younger players while continuing his rehabilitation. He described the experience as “mentally… great, because I love being part of a locker room… I’m just trying to help guys too right now in training camp, be a sounding board.” Surely, his presence provided continuity and insight for both junior call-ups and AHL prospects. 

Unfortunately, as days passed, Pietrangelo understood that it was impossible for him to recover in time. Thus, the decision to withdraw extended to international play. He missed the 4 Nations Face-Off, then Pietrangelo withdrew from representing Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina. “The hard part for me about that is that I wish my kids would have had an opportunity to see me do it. My wife and my kids, to be able to see that would have been pretty special,” he said.

Meanwhile, his departure left a significant gap for the Golden Knights, with teammates like Shea Theodore acknowledging the collective challenge, “We’re going to have to step up for sure and fill those shoes collectively. You can’t just bring in one guy to replace [Pietrangelo], we have to do it as a group.” The season concluded with Pietrangelo stepping aside deliberately, balancing ambition, health, and family considerations.