The Vegas Golden Knights could be facing a significant shake-up this offseason, as veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s future is in question thanks to health and injury concerns. A topic of discussion on Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas’ podcast, 32 Thoughts, Friedman raised the possibility that the 35-year-old may not be available for the 2025–26 NHL season, if at all.
Friedman was careful to note that he couldn’t confirm the full extent of Pietrangelo’s injury situation but said he’s been hearing rumblings about the defenseman’s health status heading into next season.
“Every year I hear Pietrangelo is beaten up and might not play, and every year he’s back,” Friedman said. “But this time, it sounds like the Golden Knights are at least trying to figure out what his health will be like for the start of next season.”
If he’s unavailable and the Golden Knights put him on LTIR, there is likely to be dominoes that fall as a result.
Pietrangelo On LTIR Means Big Moves for Golden Knights
Pietrangelo skipped the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year to rest and prepare for the playoffs, the first indication that injuries were a concern. He ended up playing 71 regular-season games, tallying four goals and 33 points, and added six points in 10 playoff contests.
According to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, sources around the league believe Pietrangelo could be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) for the remaining two years of his contract, which carries an $8.8 million cap hit. If he misses the entire regular season, the Golden Knights could use that cap relief to make a splash in free agency—possibly in the form of a major acquisition like Mitch Marner.
That said, Vegas would have to be cautious. If Pietrangelo were to return midseason, the team would need to shed salary to make room under the cap. Such a scenario would force general manager Kelly McCrimmon to make difficult decisions, with names like Nicolas Hague and Ivan Barbashev already surfacing as possible trade candidates.
Since joining Vegas in 2020 on a seven-year, $61.6 million deal, Pietrangelo has been a cornerstone of the Golden Knights’ blue line. His absence would be a massive blow, especially as other franchise cornerstones like Mark Stone show signs of slowing and the team is not far from needing to make a bgi decision on Jack Eichel‘s next contract. The Golden Knights are not a team that likes to stand pat. If they feel as though one of their top blueliners is going to be out, expect them to be aggressive with the cap space that opens up.
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