Celebrating Alex Pietrangelo: 5 Fun Facts About the Legendary Defenseman and his Feat
On Tuesday, Alex Pietrangelo played his 1,000th game in the NHL. Here are some fun facts celebrating the defenseman.
When it comes to the best NHL defensemen ever, quite a few names pop up. Ya got your Nick Lidstrom's of the world, your Ray Bourque's, and your Bobby Orr's. Some people will also say Chris Chelios and Chris Pronger (especially after Pronger had a little fun with Justin Bieber. Poor Biebs).
But for some Vegas Golden Knights fans (and some St. Louis Blues fans), Alex Pietrangelo would get a bit of consideration. After all, he played his 1,000th NHL game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. The man has made it to an exclusive club, joining 389 other players to hit the thousands mark.
With that, let's get to meet Mr. Alex Pietrangelo. This article's got a little bit of everything, from fun facts to facts about the native of King City, Ontario. Here's to you, Alex Pietrangelo, a real man of longevity... and genius.
1. He's Not the First 1,000-game Player to Play for the Golden Knights
Believe it or not, Alex Pietrangelo isn't the first player to reach the 1,000-game plateau and play for the Vegas Golden Knights. David Perron has played 1,055 games in his career, making a pit stop in Sin City along the way.
There are other former Golden Knights that appear in the club, including Paul Stastny (1,145) and Marc-Andre Fleury (1,009). But perhaps the most famous former Knight of that club is Phil Kessel (1,286). The NHL's reigning "Iron Man" played 1,064 consecutive games alone, surpassing the record with his amazing feat.
2. Alex Pietrangelo Also Won an Olympic Gold Medal
In 2014, Alex Pietrangelo was named to the Canadian Olympic Team. It was a major feat for the King City native, for he'd go up against the best competition across the globe. After all, he did win a gold medal for Canada in 2009 at the World Juniors Championship.
While Petro only contributed a mere assist in the Olympics, he did go home with some Olympic gold. The Canadian team defeated Sweden in the gold medal game, shutting out the Swedes, 3-0. It must been Swede for Pietrangelo to get some gold before he got a couple of Stanley Cups.
3. Alex Pietrangelo is Part of a Hockey Family (Albeit Small)
You wouldn't believe this, but Alex Pietrangelo has a cousin once-removed that played in the NHL. His father was related to Frank Pietrangelo, who spent some time playing seven seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hartford Whalers.
Frank's the forgotten Pietrangelo, for he was a backup goaltender. However, he did stave off the New Jersey Devils in the 1991 Stanley Cup playoffs, letting Tom Barrasso heal up before winning their first Stanley Cup. The Pietrangelos have their own NHL bloodline that the hockey faithful will need to... acknowledge.
4. Alex Pietrangelo Was the Fourth Overall Pick in the 2008 Draft
A lot of stable NHL players aren't first-round draft picks. Usually, they'll go in the later rounds and have some sort of staying power. Some first-round picks end up like Alexandre Daigle, becoming bored with the NHL while dating Pamela Anderson. But Pietrangelo isn't one of those players.
Drafted fourth overall in 2008 by the St. Louis Blues, Petro was brought in to fortify the "blue" line. And fortify he did! He made three Second All-Star Team appearances with St. Louis, blocking 1,375 shots during his Blues tenure. Oh, and he won one of two Stanley Cups in his career.
5. Pietrangelo's Average On Ice Time With Both Teams Are Nearly Identical
During his 16-year NHL career, Pietrangelo has raked up an average on-ice time of 24:33. He's proven to be a blue-chip defenseman, logging in minutes while blocking shots. You won't find anybody better at the craft.
But what's ridiculous about the stat is how close his AOIT stats are with Vegas and St. Louis. With the Blues, he logged an average of 24:38. With the Vegas Golden Knights, he clocked an average of 24:17. The two-time Stanley Cup winner is a perfectly balanced man, as all things should be.
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