The Vegas Golden Knights’ roster just took an unfortunate hit.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo announced that he is stepping away from hockey for health reasons.
“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. “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 quality of life.”
Pietrangelo added it is unlikely he will return to the sport.
“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.,” he said.
Pietrangelo helped take both the St. Louis Blues and the Golden Knights to their first ever Stanley Cup. In 2019, Pietrangelo beat the Boston Bruins in seven games to claim the title and in 2023 he helped lead Vegas to their first ever title, beating the Florida Panthers in five games.
In the 2024-2025 season, Pietrangelo recorded 33 points in 71 games with four goals and 29 assists. He added six more points in 10 playoff games this past postseason. The Golden Knights beat the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs before the Edmonton Oilers ended Vegas’ season in five games.
Pietrangelo has put up 637 career points made up of 148 goals and 489 assists.
