The Vegas Golden Knights placed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on season-ending long-term injured reserve, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The designation makes Pietrangelo ineligible to play this season or in the playoffs. The move was approved by the NHL, NHLPA, and Pietrangelo, adds Friedman.
The Golden Knights can exceed the $95.5-million salary cap by up to $8.8 million (Pietrangelo's full cap hit) because they ruled him out for the full campaign. If Vegas wanted to maintain a chance that Pietrangelo could return during the playoffs, the team would only be eligible to receive $3.8 million of relief (the average NHL salary last season), per the new LTIR rules.
Pietrangelo indicated in September that he hopes to play again and said "nothing's really concrete" regarding his future.
Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon doubted Pietrangelo would ever return to hockey when his injury was announced in July.
Vegas opens its regular season Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
