Pietrangelo spoke with the media for the first time as a Golden Knight on Tuesday morning and the type of person he is shined through when he was asked a question from a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter.
The writer, who contracted COVID-19 in September, asked Pietrangelo about the challenge of coming to a new team. The first words out of Pietrangelo's mouth were words of support for the reporter as the defenseman thought first about the man's health before he could speak about his own situation.
That example is part of the reason that Vegas brings in any player. Chairman and CEO Bill Foley emphasizes that Golden Knights are the Epitome of the Warrior Class. Pietrangelo's actions off the ice signal his fit in the organization from the get-go and he said that the team shares his drive to win on the ice as well.
"You talk to Bill for 10 minutes and you see the passion that he has," Pietrangelo said. "He's a hockey fan and he has passion for the organization. You can see that he wants to win. He's in it to win like we all are. I could see the excitement he has about the team especially with how close they've been in the first couple of years in getting to the point where they've almost won. That was a big thing for me, going out there to meet him. I wanted to make sure he shared the same passion that I do, and the players do. There was no doubt that he does."
Pietrangelo, 30, joins the Golden Knights after spending his entire NHL career with the St. Louis Blues. He was the first Blues captain to lead the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019. Pietrangelo said the feeling of winning is special, but it leaves players with a hunger to win again and again.
"I said to Kelly [McCrimmon] and George [McPhee] that since I've won once, I have that feeling where I want to win again," Pietrangelo said. "I think with Vegas coming so close in the first year, you could see the energy. I think they're still close and hopefully I can help take them over the edge to get that opportunity because it's a fun process to go through and once you do it once, you want to keep doing it."
In five games at T-Mobile Arena as a member of the Blues, Pietrangelo accrued five points (2G, 3A). While his personal numbers against in Vegas are strong, he mentioned multiple times that the Golden Knights have been one of the hardest teams to play against in the NHL since their debut in 2017-18.
The success of the franchise was a determining factor in Pietrangelo's decision to bring his talents to Nevada, but that wasn't the only thing on his mind. A father of four, Pietrangelo stressed the importance of comfort for himself, his wife Jayne, and their family.
"Going through Summerlin, going to the practice rink, talking to people about how comfortable they've felt, and how the city welcomed everybody with open arms, those are testaments to the organization because they provide everything necessary for the players and more importantly the families," Pietrangelo said of his weekend visit to the city.
He added with a smile on his face that it's easier to dress his four kids in the "accommodating weather" of Las Vegas than it is to bundle them up for the snow.
With his decision made and his name now stitched onto the back of a new jersey, Pietrangelo and his family shift their focus to their move to Las Vegas. Already a friend of Ryan Reaves, Pietrangelo said he will lean on his teammates off the ice as he becomes a Nevadan.
When he's all settled in his new city, Pietrangelo said he's excited to get to work trying to bring the Stanley Cup to Vegas.
"I want to try to get in there and feel as comfortable as I can off the ice so when I get on the ice, I can just go out there and play," Pietrangelo said. "I think I'm pretty familiar with how everybody plays on this team and they're familiar with the way I play. The goal is to just go out there and be myself."
