Golden Knights Give Mark Stone Injury Update

The Vegas Golden Knights will be without their captain for the foreseeable future after Mark Stone underwent successful back surgery. Injuries have been an issue for him in the past and has once again taken him out of action.

It is unclear when Stone will return, but the Golden Knights have an opportunity to add a big rental at the deadline in the hopes that they still qualify for the playoffs and Stone then returns. Vegas has been slipping. What was once a healthy lead on the rest of the Pacific division has turned into third place at the All-Star break. They have won just two games in their last 10 and both the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings have passed them while the Edmonton Oilers sit two points back with a game in hand.

Stone is expected to make a full recovery. Since it is a back injury, the team has to be careful not to bring him back too early. Even if the Golden Knights do add at the trade deadline and Stone is ready to return before the end of the season, they may hold him out to stay cap compliant until the salary cap goes away for playoffs and to make sure he's ready.

The Golden Knights' captain has 17 goals and 38 points in 43 games this season and is once again one of the best two-way players in the league. The Golden Knights are going to miss him from their lineup and the team must use his cap space to bring in some reinforcements.