One thousand NHL games means a lot of things. The intricacies of a gameday are formed over time and repeated out of tradition. Morning skates, pregame naps, taping sticks and lacing skates are all part of the process as NHL players prepare to compete at the highest-level hockey has to offer.
For Alex Pietrangelo, it means 16 years in the NHL, 142 goals scored, 454 assists tallied, and two Stanley Cup Championships. It also means countless friends and lifelong bonds that have kept the player going throughout his career. When he stepped on the ice at T-Mobile Arena for his 1,000th game on Feb. 12, everything that Pietrangelo loves about the game came together in celebration of his milestone.
“The game is great,” said Pietrangelo. “I think the people you meet along the way is what makes it special for me. You’re not going to be best friends with everybody you play with, it's just life, but the people we meet along the way is what makes the game special.”
From his very first teammates like David Backes, to his Vegas defensive partner Alec Martinez, to being talked about in the same category as all-time greats like Zdeno Chara, Pietrangelo knows special. And it was special when he became the 386th player in league history to hit 1,000 games played – the 274th Canadian, the 125th defenseman, and the first to do it as a Vegas Golden Knight.
The 34-year-old blueliner was drafted fourth overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2008 and has lived up to the hype ever since. He held down St. Louis’ blueline for 12 seasons, spending four as their captain and leading them to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2019. After the 2019-20 season, the Pietrangelo family began a new adventure when he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights as a free agent.
Earning the ‘A’ before ever stepping on the ice as a Golden Knight, Pietrangelo’s leadership in the locker room has been invaluable to his teammates. He leads by example in everything that he does, including his work ethic, experience on the blueline, and his drive to always be better.
“We shine with (Pietrangelo),” said Vegas Golden Knights captain, Mark Stone. “He’s changed a lot of the dynamics here on our blueline and he’s helped other defensemen grow and get better. He’s got an endless amount of energy, not just on the ice but off the ice.”
By playing his brand of hockey, day in and day out, the King City, Ontario native has made history with the Golden Knights. His 146 points as a Golden Knight (33G, 113A) rank eighth in franchise history and second among all Vegas defensemen. He holds the highest average time-on-ice in franchise history, playing a standard of 24:17 every game. With 242 games played in gold, he is already 13th in Golden Knights history in games played with Vegas. Pietrangelo is top-15 in almost every category, from shots on net (636) to plus minus (+40) to points-per-game (0.6).
En route to a Stanley Cup in 2023, Pietrangelo tied his career high in points with 54 during the regular season. Scoring 11 goals and 43 assists, No. 7 held down the blueline as the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division, the Western Conference, and the first championship in franchise history. In 40 playoff games as a Golden Knight, Pietrangelo has recorded 22 points (5G, 17A) including 10 points during the team’s championship run in 2023.
For his family, these 1,000 games mean sacrifice. They’ve moved from St. Louis to Vegas, traveled across the country to see him play, and supported him through every single contest he stepped on the ice for.
“I don't get to where I am without them,” said Pietrangelo. “The kids keep me going. They love watching me warmup. Even my wife – there are games, where I come home and I'm just like, ‘What was I doing?’ You go through lulls in the season and she's as honest as they come, and I love her for it.”
For his teammates, it’s a milestone celebrated throughout the locker room. It’s an achievement very few NHL players ever reach, and the Golden Knights get to see one of their own do it. They get to celebrate it with him.
“It’s really impressive to be honest,” said long-time teammate Ivan Barbashev. “He’s been in the league a really long time and he’s been there for me since my game one. I think it’s pretty special to see him reach 1,000. It’s a milestone and I think the whole team is very happy for him.”
The Vegas Golden Knights held a pregame ceremony for Alex Pietrangelo ahead of his 1,000th game on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild. The gold helmet dropped on the ice and No. 7 skated out. The carpet was rolled out as Pietrangelo’s name was called to the starting lineup.
Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon and the Pietrangelo family walked out as Pietrangelo’s sons skated a lap around the ice with their dad. His accolades were shared before a tribute video with moments from his career played throughout the Fortress. Words from Jay Bouwmeester, David Backes, Craig Berube, Alec Martinez, Mark Stone, and Bruce Cassidy played throughout the arena, before a congrats and an “I love you” from his wife and kids finished it off.
Martinez and Stone presented his family with flowers, before McCrimmon handed Petro his golden stick, commemorating the moment. Pietrangelo’s four children – Oliver, Theo, Evelyn, and Julia – received their own golden sticks along with their father. The 1,000-game milestone is usually celebrated with a silver one, but Vegas knew gold was the way to go. Pietrangelo’s golden stick is the first of its kind and hopefully, the first of many for Golden Knights who reach this incredible accomplishment.
