Should Golden Knights fans be concerned about Alex Pietrangelo?

They say Father Time is undefeated. It saps away the vitality from our very bones, leaving us unable to do the things we used to do. Want to run a mile at 50? Be prepared to feel some aches and pains. Perhaps you want to play the blue line at 35? The younger kids will pass you by. Even Tom Brady had to retire at some point and run a middling NFL franchise.

That's the sad reality for Alex Pietrangelo, who's feeling the aftereffects of aging. The 35-year-old has three goals and 22 assists this season, a far cry from his 29 assists in 2023-24. Scoring-wise, he's not the same player he was from years prior. That's especially true when compared to his 2022-23 season, where he had 11 goals and 43 assists.

But it goes beyond the basic stats, though. His other stats have shown a steady decline in his game.

These stats might be a lot to take in for one sitting. However, there's a central theme to this table: 2024-25 has been his worst season by far. It's an alarming trend that has Vegas Golden Knights fans and Bruce Cassidy worried. What will the team do if their top defenseman isn't at the top anymore? What if Father Time... has claimed yet another victim in his wake?

About Monday's game against the Los Angeles Kings...

Exhibit A of Pietrangelo's decline is Monday's game against the Los Angeles Kings. He was absent throughout the game, missing key assignments while his opponents worked around him. It was part of why the Kings scored four third-period goals, en route to a 5-2 victory. In fact, the Golden Knights impact card tells the story of the night he had.

In past seasons, the defenseman wouldn't have been at the bottom of that card by a wide margin. Instead, it would be reserved for players like Jake Leschyshyn or defensive underachievers like Noah Hanifin. However, Monday's game was uncharacteristic of one of the game's elite blueliners.

It doesn't just stop with Monday's catastrophe, though. He also had a similar problem against J.T. Miller on February 2nd. Watch how he gets stonewalled on this play that kept him from getting into the passing lane.

Normally, he doesn't get blocked off by his opponents in this fashion considering he's 6'3" and weighs 215 lbs. But Miller weighs 218 lbs., practically making him the blueliner's equal. With a little nudge, he gets inside and cuts off that passing lane, pleasing Bruce Cassidy in the process.

Is this the end of elite defenseman Alex Pietrangelo?

Again, this goes back to getting older and not doing what you used to do. This season has been the perfect example of Pietrangelo's decline, where he hasn't done much offensively. But his defensive numbers have also taken a hit. He's produced 110 blocked shots this season, 50 less than what he had last season. The same goes for his takeaways, where he only has 21 in 2024-25 (he had 50 in 2023-24).

If you're wondering when his contract's up, it's after the 2026-27 season. He will be 37 years old and either take a short-term contract or retire. A cap hit of $8.8 million per year will come off the books, for that will be consumed by Father Time as well. Yes, Cassidy loses a key blueliner. But other players are waiting in the wings (i.e. Kaeden Korczak and possibly Lukas Cormier).

It's safe to say we won't see the elite defenseman that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2023. It's understandable, too. Putting your body on the line at 35 years old can do that to a player. Add in the fact you're taking hits and playing on a consistent basis and you don't have time to relax your aging body. It's no wonder he sat out the 4 Nations Face-Off.