Vegas Golden Knights’ captain Mark Stone has sustained numerous long-term injuries over the past three seasons and given his age, there could be a cause for concern.
Vegas Golden Knights’ captain Mark Stone has sustained numerous long-term injuries over the past three seasons and given his age, there could be a cause for concern.
Since the 2021-22 season, Stone has played in just 136 games. When healthy, he has been as productive as anyone in the NHL but his inability to stay on the ice has affected the Golden Knights. Despite all the missed games, Stone captained the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup victory.
The captain Mark Stone with @Panger40 right after accepting the Stanley Cup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nUP673msHs
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) June 14, 2023
Now 32 years old, recovering from injuries will only become harder for him. The injuries he has suffered have also been very serious, with two injuries to his back, once requiring surgery and most recently suffering a lacerated spleen.
One reason why injuries haven’t hampered Stone’s career is due to his playstyle. He’s never been known for his speed and uses his hockey IQ to navigate around the ice. He has a 6’3 frame which helps cover a lot of space and he anticipates the play like very few players ever have.
This Mark Stone goal is just beautiful man #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/qUPxtQe7MI
— Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) June 14, 2023
He has proved to everyone that he can get by without speed but if the back injuries continue to pile up, his hands and ability to shoot may pass a point of no return.
The Winnipeg native has three years remaining on his contract which makes this season vital for both him and the Golden Knights. If he can’t get himself back to the level he was at for many years, the Golden Knights will be carrying a $9.5M salary cap burden on their roster. If he does find his form again but suffers another major injury, both he and the Golden Knights will have to make a difficult decision about his future.
Stone, the entire Golden Knights organization and the fanbase are hoping he not only plays well but stays injury-free but a lie would be told if his injury history wasn’t a cause for concern.
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