The Vegas Golden Knights open the 2025-26 season on Wednesday at home against the Los Angeles Kings. With Mitch Marner making his Vegas debut, it will be a must-watch affair to start the season. The Golden Knights did make an unfortunate announcement when submitting their final roster, as Alex Pietrangelo will be out for the regular season and the playoffs with a hip injury.
“In submitting their Opening Day roster, Vegas declared future Hall-of-Famer Alex Pietrangelo out for the season and playoffs (with approval of the NHL, NHLPA & player). The Golden Knights are eligible for full cap relief,” Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported.
The new salary cap rules put in place through the new CBA required Vegas to rule Pietrangelo out for the entire season. The loophole that allowed teams to receive salary cap relief during the season but go over the cap in the postseason has been closed. Vegas will now place all $8.8 million of Pietrangelo's salary on long-term injured reserve.
The Golden Knights have been spending to the cap and over the cap throughout their brief life as an NHL franchise. Despite the offseason move to sign Marner, they now have a big question on their roster. Do they have the strength on the blueline to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final? Or will they make another trade to help replace Pietrangelo?
This move does not end Pietrangelo's career, however. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion did not rule out an eventual return to the Golden Knights, but he will not play until the opening game of the 2026-27 season, at least. Pietrangelo would be in the final season of his contract if he comes back in 2026.
Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights open the season at home against the new-look Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific.
