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Canada's Pietrangelo on withdrawing from 4 Nations Face-Off: 'It sucks'

Alex Pietrangelo is disappointed he won't be able to wear the Maple Leaf at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Canadian defenceman withdrew from the tournament on Sunday after the Vegas Golden Knights announced the veteran would use the time "to tend to an ailment and prepare for the remainder of the regular season" instead.

"It sucks," Pietrangelo said Tuesday when asked about the decision. "To represent your country is an honour. My kids were excited, my wife was excited, but it is what it is. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions."

Pietrangelo, 35, was one of the most experienced players on the Canadian roster with two Stanley Cups, an Olympic gold and a World Cup of Hockey title on his resume. He is not currently injured and was in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dallas Stars. He did miss a week in November with an upper-body injury.

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  • 4 Nations Face-Off

    With the inaugural edition of the 4 Nations Face-Off fast approaching, be sure to catch up on all the latest news about the highly anticipated best-on-best event. Puck drops on Feb. 12, 2025, on Sportsnet.

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The Golden Knights defenceman reiterated Tuesday that the decision was made to give himself the best chance to stay healthy this season.

"It wasn't an immediate decision, just been dealing with something for a while now," Pietrangelo said. "In my head, and talking with the team and doctors, it gives me the best chance to stay on the ice healthy, especially in the second half of the year."

The tournament runs from Feb. 12-20 and will serve as both a replacement for this year’s All-Star Game and a preview of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Vegas plays its last game before the break on Feb. 8, then won't return to action until Feb. 22 against the Vancouver Canucks.

"That's a long period of time to get some rest and kind of get rid of what I'm dealing with," Pietrangelo said.

Some possible candidates to replace Pietrangelo on Canada's blue line include MacKenzie Weegar of the Flames, Dougie Hamilton of the Devils, Evan Bouchard of the Oilers, Aaron Ekblad of the Panthers and Drew Doughty of the Kings. 

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