King’s Pietrangelo skates for Canada at Games

January 14, 2014 · 0 Comments

King’s Alex Pietrangelo will be representing Canada on the men’s hockey team at the Sochi Olympics.
Photo courtesy of the Canadian Olympic Committee

By Jeff Doner
NHL defenceman Alex Pietrangelo’s name can now be added to the long list of King Township residents who have represented Canada on the world stage at the Olympics.
Last week, Hockey Canada announced the 25-player roster nominated to represent Canada at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Pietrangelo, a King City native, was one of the eight defencemen to be named to the squad, and deservedly so.
Since breaking into the league as a rookie in 2008 with the St. Louis Blues, Pietrangelo, 23, has only solidified himself as one of the premier blueliners in the NHL.
He has since become the assistant captain of the Blues, who currently hold the fourth best record in all of the NHL, and has amassed 153 points in 268 games so far in his young career.
It will be Pietrangelo’s first Olympic Games, but he has competed for Canada before at two IIHF World Junior Championships.
He won gold with that team in 2009 and then helped them to a silver in 2010, after which he was named the tournament’s best defenceman.
Team Canada will be looking to defend its gold medal from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, but will face some stiff competition at the tournament.
“I would like to congratulate the 25 players nominated today to Canada’s Olympic Team,” said hockey legend and Team Canada executive director, Steve Yzerman at the roster unveiling. “With the depth of talent in Canada, these players should be very proud of their nomination today and excited about the opportunity that we all have to represent our country in Sochi in February.”
The men’s hockey portion of the Olympics will begin on Feb. 12, with Canada’s first game coming on Feb. 13 against Norway. The tournament will wrap up with the gold medal game on Feb. 23.