Golden Knights News
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has not ruled out playing this season despite stepping away from hockey in June due to a serious hip injury.
“Nothing is really concrete. I’m just going to continue to take it day-by-day and see where it goes,” Pietrangelo said Monday at the Golden Knights’ training camp when asked about a potential return. The 35-year-old announced in June he was stepping away from hockey to focus on his health and quality of life. At the time, General Manager Kelly McCrimmon indicated that the injury would require bilateral femur reconstruction surgery, with no guarantee of success.
Pietrangelo said his hip problems have been ongoing for years but became significantly worse during the 2024-25 season. He withdrew from the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament at midseason, hoping rest would allow him to contribute to a playoff run. The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division but were eliminated by Edmonton in the second round. “Last year was when the injury really took a toll,” Pietrangelo said. “By the time it really started to get to me last year, to try and address it with how good of a team we had, it would’ve cut the whole year off for me.”
The veteran defenseman has opted not to undergo surgery while continuing rehabilitation that has shown positive results. Pietrangelo finished last season with four goals and 29 assists for 33 points in 71 games, matching his point total from the previous season. He averaged 22:24 in ice time and recorded 123 shots on goal with 139 blocked shots and a plus-11 rating. The Golden Knights placed him on long-term injured reserve, creating salary cap space that allowed them to acquire Mitch Marner from Toronto.
Pietrangelo has two Stanley Cup championships, winning with St. Louis in 2019 and Vegas in 2023. He has 637 points in 1,087 career regular-season games and 80 points in 149 playoff contests. His contract carries an $8.8 million salary cap hit through the 2026-27 season. The Golden Knights open the 2025-26 season on October 8 against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena.
