Alex Pietrangelo’s Determined Fight Against a Career-Threatening Injury
Alex Pietrangelo isn’t ready to hang up his skates just yet. The seasoned defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights, who took a step back from the game in June due to a significant hip injury, is now contemplating a return at some point during the current season.
A Relentless Battle with Injury
The journey has been anything but easy for the 35-year-old veteran. Medical professionals once advised him that major reconstruction surgery on both femurs was necessary, with no guarantees of success. However, Pietrangelo opted for an alternative route. Rather than going under the knife, he has dedicated himself to rehabilitation, claiming he is witnessing positive strides in his recovery.
“Nothing is really concrete,” he remarked during a recent media session at Golden Knights camp. “I’m just going to continue to take it day by day and see where it goes.”
The Cost of a Long Career
Pietrangelo’s hip problems have been an ongoing issue, lingering for several years. However, the reality of the situation became undeniable last season. Despite the pain, he fought through 71 regular-season games and another 10 in the playoffs, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time each night when the Golden Knights needed him most. His decision to skip the Four Nations tournament to concentrate on the postseason underscored the sacrifices he was making just to remain on the ice.
A Champion’s Legacy
With a career spanning 17 seasons, Pietrangelo has little left to prove. He captained the St. Louis Blues to their first Stanley Cup in 2019 and added another championship with Vegas in 2023. His career statistics—637 points amassed in 1,087 games—secure his place among the elite defensemen of his generation.
Currently, he has two years remaining on the seven-year contract he signed with the Golden Knights in 2020, which carries an $8.8 million cap hit. Given the team’s tight salary cap situation following the acquisition of Mitch Marner’s $12 million deal, Pietrangelo is expected to start the season on long-term injured reserve.
An Uncertain Path Ahead
At this juncture, the prevailing question is not when Pietrangelo will return, but rather whether his body will permit him to do so. His comments convey both hope and realism: there is no definitive timeline for his comeback, only the potential for it to happen.
Should he manage to rejoin the lineup, it would not merely be a return; it would mark one of the most remarkable comebacks the sport has witnessed in recent years.
