NHL News: Two-time Stanley Cup champ leaves door open on joining Mitch Marner, Golden Knights

Mitch Marner might have his best shot at the Stanley Cup in only his first year with the Vegas Golden Knights. Following a bold comment from a two-time champ, he could be joined by some elite company in the upcoming NHL season.

Perhaps moving on from the Toronto Maple Leafs was all Marner needed to finally taste glory in the NHL. It’s not as if his career has been anything but outstanding so far, but the biggest accolade has eluded him. Now, shortly after arriving in Las Vegas, he might be in prime position to go all the way in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Golden Knights are among the favorites to hoist Lord Stanley in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. However, many things must fall into place to win the Cup. It’s not simply about having the best lineup on paper. If it were, Marner and the Maple Leafs might have had much more success in years past. In Sin City, though, Marner and the Knights might be in for an almost miraculous comeback.

Alex Pietrangelo battled through a hip injury throughout the past season, before having surgery this summer. Now, he’s ruled out for Vegas’ opening night on October 8, with whispers around the NHL suggesting he may never step on the ice again. Still, the two-time Stanley Cup champion isn’t going down without a fight, and he could return at some stage of the upcoming campaign.

Alex Pietrangelo at T-Mobile Arena on June 02, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Nothing is really concrete,” Pietrangelo admitted about his future in dialogue with NHL.com. “I’m just going to continue to take it day by day and go throughout my process and see where it goes. I’m continuing to rehab, I’m going to continue to do that. We have a phenomenal team here and the rehab process has been great.”

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Unfinished business

Countless players have come and gone through the NHL and would do anything for a career like Pietrangelo’s. The 35-year-old has only played for two clubs yet has won a Stanley Cup with each.

Pietrangelo struck gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics with Team Canada, and needless to say, he’s grown accustomed to winning throughout his professional career. Still, he’s far from finished.

If his body holds up, he’ll keep chasing silverware on the ice. Cracking Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Olympics might be a long shot—but so would a return to the league at all. If he manages one, who’s to say he can’t pull off the other?

Meanwhile, Marner and the Knights will be on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting news on Pietrangelo. His return could be the final confidence boost the organization in Sin City needs to chase its second Stanley Cup.