It's obvious why Alex Pietrangelo was absent for Tuesday's game

Vegas Golden Knights fans have noticed something about Alex Pietrangelo this season. One can say that he's been a liability throughout his 2024-25 campaign.

For example, he had a fatal turnover that cost the Golden Knights two points on January 30. Ilya Samsonov could only do so much before Cole Sillinger overwhelmed him on another rebound.

Then there was March 15, when he had another blunder. The result? A 4-3 overtime victory for the Buffalo Sabres. It's safe to say that Pietrangelo has cost his team a couple of points, which isn't sitting well with some fans.

That's why it shouldn't surprise fans that he missed Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Wild. Considering the team's overall blue line depth, it'd be good for the two-time Stanley Cup champion to rest those tired bones.

It's not like it mattered anyway. The Golden Knights constricted the Wild, 5-1. They did an excellent job limiting shot opportunities and playing an excellent defensive game.

However, there's a good reason why the defenseman is now on a day-to-day designation. It's something that's nagged him throughout the year, causing his performance to slowly regress. In fact, one can say his play could benefit from resting up for the playoff stretch.

Looking at Pietrangelo's past two seasons with the Golden Knights

First, let's look at his past two seasons. One will look at his stats and see a drop from his 2022-23 campaign. Here, he scored 11 goals and 43 assists to go with a shooting percentage of 6.5%. Not only that, but he had 13 power play assists this season. So what about the last two seasons?

A couple of things stand out here. First, the sharp drop in power play assists has shown less production, particularly with players like Shea Theodore (17 assists on the unit) and Jack Eichel (29) taking the lion's share of assists. He's become less reliable on the unit, partially because he has newer faces like Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl getting comfortable.

The other noteworthy stat is the giveaways. Pietrangelo has seen this stat more than halved from a season ago. He's tied for ninth in the category, raising some concerned eyebrows among Vegas Golden Knights fans. But what about his defensive stats?

These stats are just as alarming. Now you're seeing sharp drops in all three stats. He's not forechecking as much and he's not as involved in the defensive scheme, either. It's no wonder fans are concerned about the 35-year-old's 2024-25 season.

Still, there's a good reason for that. Father Time is unforgiving when it comes to players getting older. It affects their overall health and leaves them unable to perform at a high level.

Alex Pietrangelo is battling through some injuries right now

Look back at the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters and when they were announced. Alex Pietrangelo was one of those names announced, for he was named to Team Canada's roster. Sounds good, right? You get to play for your country and win an international tournament.

But there was one problem: He pulled out. He stated that he wanted to focus on the Stanley Cup playoff run and rest his tired body. Understandable. After all, playing in the NHL requires 82 games of your attention.

While that didn't sit well with the Canadian populace to the point where they called him a "traitor," he's not a spry chicken. The 35-year-old has been in the league since 2008, back when he was an unassuming rookie with the St. Louis Blues.

This instance is no different, where he's on a day-to-day designation with a lower-body injury.

It should be no surprise that the defenseman is resting his weary body. As fans have seen throughout the season, injury designations tend to stretch themselves out longer than anticipated. Don't be surprised if fans don't see Alex Pietrangelo for an extended period.