LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Alex Pietrangelo's future in the National Hockey League is uncertain due to health reasons.
On Monday, Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said the defenseman requires major hip surgery that has no guarantees of success. The decision to have this surgery is still under consideration, but if Pietrangelo goes through with it, he may not be able to play professional hockey.
Pietrangelo says his body would not be able to recover up to the standards that is required to play should he have the surgery, but it would allow him to spend more time with his family.
“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. 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. 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.”
McCrimmon praised Pietrangelo's talent on the ice and shared his sympathies with this difficult decision.
What the team had hoped during their February break for 4 Nations was a time for Pietrangelo to recover, but what they found were "diminished positive results and a process that is no longer sustainable moving forward."
“Alex has our organization’s full support in prioritizing his long-term health and quality of life. Alex is dealing with hips that would require bilateral femur reconstruction, with no guarantee of success. Throughout the season, the steps that Alex needed to take to be able to play and practice began to grow and take a significant toll on his body. 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. 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. He is one of the most respected players in the league, not only for his elite talent but for his character, leadership, competitiveness, and professionalism. Today’s decision is a difficult one for both Alex and the Golden Knights, but it is being made for the right reasons – so that Alex can be the family man we all know him to be.”
