Pietrangelo pulls out of 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is withdrawing from Team Canada's squad in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off to tend to an ailment and to be ready for the rest of the regular season, the NHL club announced Sunday.

Hours later, Pietrangelo was in the lineup for the Golden Knights' 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Sunday. He was held without a point but logged 24:22 of ice time, the second-highest total among all skaters for both teams.

Canada is losing a player with a Stanley Cup championship pedigree and plenty of international experience. He helped the nation win gold in the 2009 World Junior Championship, the 2014 Olympics, and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the last time there was a best-on-best men's hockey tournament.

Pietrangelo won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023 and with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. He's notched at least 50 regular-season points five times, and he's gone over 40 points 10 times in 14 full campaigns.

The 35-year-old has three goals and 22 assists this season while averaging 22:43 of ice time over 47 contests with Vegas. He plays on the Golden Knights' top pairing alongside Noah Hanifin, who'll be suiting up for the United States at the upcoming event.

Pietrangelo was named to Canada's roster Dec. 4. Cale Makar, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore, and Devon Toews are the other Canadian blue-liners.

Canada has until Feb. 11 to name a replacement for Pietrangelo, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The Canadians open their tournament the next day against Sweden, and the tourney will run through Feb. 20 in Montreal and Boston.