Latest news with #Pietrangelo
National Post
3 days ago
- Business
- National Post
SIMMONS: Wanna bet that Vegas is the landing spot for Mitch Marner?
Article content At first glance, the Golden Knights don't appear to have the cap space available to work in Marner's favour. But this is where George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon, the club president and general manager, enter the process, already having earned a reputation for making the financially impossible possible. They have a history of doing what other teams can't do or won't do. Article content The future of star defenceman Pietrangelo already is in question regarding the Golden Knights future. There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game — and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $10 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner. Article content Pietrangelo, who was named to Canada's 4-Nations Face-Off team and is expected to be part of the coming Olympic team, pulled out of the tournament last February to get himself ready for playoffs. He has missed 29 games over the past two seasons to injury and was thought to be playing hurt in the playoffs. He turns 36 next season. Article content What can the Leafs get for Marner in a sign-and-trade of sorts? Next to nothing, I am told. Article content They might be able to get a third- or fourth-round draft pick by dealing his rights before July 1, but the question remains: Is it worth doing a possible sign-and-trade for Marner's benefit, doing him a favour, giving him an extra year on his contract if negotiated that way, when there is next to no benefit for the Leafs themselves? Article content This is part of the equation that remains hard to figure and the relationships between the Marner camp and the Leafs has been rather prickly at times. Marner negotiated a no-movement clause with the Leafs with the previous general manager, was later seemingly unhappy about how he was being treated in the market and how he was being singled out for Maple Leafs blame. Article content And yet, when the Leafs provided him with the opportunity to leave and play elsewhere, on a contender in Carolina, he said no, he wouldn't consider it. This was Marner playing both sides against the middle, which has worked in his favour, but not necessarily for the Leafs. Article content Article content If he hits free agency, there is little doubt that young hopeful teams such as San Jose, Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim — all with money to spend — will be bidding on Marner. And others — maybe Utah, maybe Detroit, maybe Pittsburgh — will be in the process as well. And probably a semi-contender like Los Angeles might get involved, as would Tampa Bay, where coach Jon Cooper is a huge Marner fan.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pietrangelo and Dorofeyev Absent From Golden Knights Practice
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images The Vegas Golden Knights held a full-team practice this morning, but were not accompanied by forward Pavel Dorofeyev and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. Dorofeyev has been considered day-to-day since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game 5 of the Golden Knights' first-round series against the Minnesota Wild. It's been eight days since he last skated, but the team insists on labelling him day-to-day. For Pietrangelo, the 35-year-old, was forced to miss Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers with an illness and was also absent from this morning's practice. He, too, is considered day-to-day. With Pietrangelo out, Kaedan Korczak stepped into the lineup, playing alongside Nicolas Hague. Like every Golden Knight, Korczak was shelled, losing the battle in shot attempts, shots on goal and expected goals when he was on the ice. HC Bruce Cassidy did decide to change his lines once again, returning to a familiar setup. Barbashev-Eichel-Stone Saad-Hertl-Olofsson Howden-Karlsson-Smith Pearson-Roy-Kolesar McNabb-Theodore Hanifin-Whitecloud Hague-Korczak The Golden Knights are back in action on Thursday for Game 2. Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Alex Pietrangelo's health a key concern as Vegas Golden Knights prepare for Edmonton Oilers
Photo byAlex Pietrangelo's struggles raise concerns for Vegas Golden Knights As the Vegas Golden Knights get set to face the Edmonton Oilers in their second-round matchup, there's growing concern over one of their star players: defenseman Alex Pietrangelo . The blueliner, who's been battling injuries all season, wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders in Vegas' first-round series against Minnesota. With Connor McDavid and the Oilers on the horizon, questions are rising about whether Pietrangelo can handle the pressure or if he's a potential weak link for the Gawlik, a prominent voice on the Locked On Vegas podcast, hasn't held back when expressing his worries about Pietrangelo's play. He pointed out that Pietrangelo's recent performance against the Minnesota Wild was far from reassuring. Missing the Four Nations tournament to rest up didn't seem to solve much, and Gawlik noticed the struggles in the defensive zone, particularly against the Wild's top players. Alex Pietrangelo is a major wild card question mark of this series,' Gawlik said. 'Anyone that watched the last round, watched Kirill Kaprizov and more importantly, Matt Boldy, just do circles around the entire Golden Knights defense. Last couple of games, Matt Boldy, he just basically made Alex Pietrangelo become a turnstile.'It's one thing to be beaten on the ice, but Gawlik also pointed out some fundamental defensive mistakes.'It was a terrible defensive play a few different times from Pietrangelo, where Boldy just went right around him. Pietrangelo was a passenger on some key goals in the series as well,' Gawlik a bit of hope, though. Gawlik mentioned that the extra days off between games might help Pietrangelo get closer to full health. While the ailment hasn't gone away, he believes that a little extra rest could make a big difference.'He sat out the Four Nations to deal with the quote unquote 'ailments.' That ailment has not gone away by any means,' Gawlik explained. 'But... I believe it's going to be six calendar days, five calendar days between games. Both teams have had a chance to get a little bit healthier. If Pietrangelo goes from 64 percent to about 79 percent with this time off, then the Golden Knights I think will be okay.'With McDavid coming at them, Vegas has already adjusted their lines. The trio of Jack Eichel , William Karlsson, and Mark Stone will be tasked with slowing down the Oilers' superstar. Gawlik noted, 'You don't neutralize McDavid, but you certainly slow him down… They will be out there shadowing McDavid any second he is out there.'But, Gawlik didn't hold back when discussing Pietrangelo's potential impact: 'If Pietrangelo is the same version of himself in round one, McDavid, he might reverse his stat line from two goals and nine assists to nine goals and two assists by Game 3.'As the Golden Knights prepare for what could be a high-speed, high-scoring series against the Oilers, they're banking on Pietrangelo to step up. If he can find a way to shake off the injury struggles and get back to his elite level, Vegas will be in a better spot. But if he continues to be a liability, McDavid and company could be in for a field day. Time will tell, but one thing's for sure—the pressure's on Read: Toronto Maple Leafs take game 1 as William Nylander dominates against Florida Panthers
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Golden Knights' Brayden McNabb Deserves Even More Attention For His Shot Blocking
In just their eighth year of operation, the Vegas Golden Knights seem to have all the pieces for their second Stanley Cup. With Jack Eichel being a dark horse in the Hart Trophy conversation and Mark Stone recording eight points in his last eight games, Vegas is buzzing with the fifth-most goals per game in the NHL. It's only fitting that we give the blueline some attention as well, particularly perennial shot-blocker Brayden McNabb. The 34-year-old may not be lighting up the stats sheet, but he has been key to Vegas having the ninth-fewest goals against per game. With 122 blocks, which are the eighth-most in the NHL, McNabb has helped ensure his goaltenders face the fourth-fewest shots on goal. That's saying something, considering the Golden Knights have had the ninth-most shot attempts against in the NHL. It makes work a little easier for Vegas goalies Adin Hill (.900 save percentage, 2.64 goals-against average) and Ilya Samsonov (.897 SP, 2.71 GAA), whose stats aren't up there with the elite netminders. McNabb's shot blocking isn't new, either. Since the franchise began play in 2017-18, three of the team's five highest shot-blocking campaigns are by McNabb, and each were in the last three seasons. It's no wonder the team signed him to a three-year contract extension worth $3.65-million annually in November. The next Golden Knights player with the most blocks this season is Alex Pietrangelo, with 100, which are tied for the 29th-most in the NHL. Unlike McNabb, Pietrangelo is not a stay-at-home defenseman and has been a vital contributor to the Golden Knights' scoring with 22 assists and 25 points, compared to McNabb's three goals, nine assists and 12 points. "Friday Knight hiLights": Golden Knights Coach Bruce Cassidy Goes With Heart, Offers Surprise Pick To Win Super BowlFor @TheHockeyNews — WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) February 7, 2025 Pietrangelo and McNabb have played in a pairing this season, albeit sparsely. They've been paired up for only about 21 minutes all season over a span of 34 games, according to The stats from their brief pairing show that while the duo was on the ice, the team produced 5.73 goals per 60 minutes (second-highest among the team's 19 different defense combinations) and allowed 20.05 unblocked shot attempts per 60 minutes (second-lowest). Perhaps that pairing deserves more minutes. But as the team battles for first place in the Pacific Division to get a better matchup in the playoffs, the shot blocking continues to be an important part of its success. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on or by visiting our forum.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Blues & Maple Leafs Almost Made Blockbuster Trade
During the 2020 NHL off-season, the St. Louis Blues lost star defenseman and former captain Alex Pietrangelo to the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency. Losing Pietrangelo undoubtedly hurt the Blues' defensive group, as he was their top star and No. 1 defenseman. However, it turns out that Pietrangelo's Blues tenure almost ended differently a few years before. In a recent episode of The Sheet, NHL insider Jeff Marek revealed that the Blues almost traded Pietrangelo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for star forward William Nylander. "It wasn't that long ago that it was pretty close, that he [Nylander] was going to St. Louis, and Alex Pietrangelo was going the other way to the Toronto Maple Leafs," Marek said. In 2018, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also reported the Blues and Maple Leafs discussed a Pietrangelo and Nylander trade, but Toronto decided against it. This would have been a massive trade for both clubs. The Blues would have landed a star forward who they would have built their offense around. The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, would have secured a proper No. 1 defenseman for their right side. However, in the end, it is fair to say that the Maple Leafs must be happy with their decision to keep Nylander in Toronto. The 28-year-old winger has emerged as a superstar in Toronto and is a significant part of their core. However, the Blues also won the Stanley Cup in 2019, so hanging on to Pietrangelo undoubtedly benefitted them, too. Stay updated with the most interesting Blues stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
