The Vegas Golden Knights are staring at a tough on-ice loss.
One of their leaders, Alex Pietrangelo, is just trying to get his life back on track away from the rink.
The star defenseman was placed on long-term injured reserve, and GM Kelly McCrimmon said Tuesday that it’s unlikely Pietrangelo will play in the NHL again.
Pietrangelo has to undergo “multiple major surgeries,” according to a Vegas announcement.
In a statement on Monday, Pietrangelo laid out his tough reality.
“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,” Pietrangelo said. “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.”
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Pietrangelo is specifically looking at potential bilateral femur reconstruction, said McCrimmon.
“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. “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.”
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Pietrangelo has played in 1,087 NHL games, scoring 637 points and winning a pair of Stanley Cup championships.
This would be a really, really sad way for such a special career to end.
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