Getty Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo When Alex Pietrangelo announced this summer that he was stepping away from the ice , the Vegas Golden Knights lost more than a veteran right-shot defenseman. They lost a cornerstone of identity, leadership, and resilience.   But Pietrangelo’s decision wasn’t voluntary. It was medically mandated.   Battling severe hip issues that failed to respond to treatment, the 35-year-old defenseman faces the daunting prospect of bilateral femur