Golden Knights' Alex Pietrangelo Away from Team Indefinitely

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will be away from the team indefinitely due to an illness in his family.

The Vegas Golden Knights will be without one of their star defenders for the foreseeable future. 

On Wednesday evening, the Golden Knights announced that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has left the team due to an illness in the family and will remain away from the organization indefinitely. The 32-year-old had been out of the lineup since Nov. 26 for personal reasons.

No further details were provided, and the Golden Knights urged the public to respect Pietrangelo's privacy during this trying time. 

The veteran defender had been in the midst of a dazzling campaign through the first 23 games of the season, racking up an impressive three goals and 18 assists for 21 points while logging more than 23 minutes in average nightly ice time. 

Pietrangelo's play helped the Golden Knights rebound from its first unsuccessful post-season bid in 2021-22 to sit first in the Pacific Division at the moment with 39 points. 

Hockey, of course, matters little compared to the health of one's family. While it is unclear when Pietrangelo will return to game action, the entire hockey world wishes him and his family the best in these troubling times.