Golden Knights Get Tough News on Mark Stone

The Vegas Golden Knights will have to make do without captain Mark Stone for a while. In fact, GM Kelly McCrimmon said exactly that, stating that Stone is going to be “out for a while” due to the upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday's game against the Nashville Predators.

Head coach Bruce Cassidy offered a bit more of a timeline, stating it's week-to-week. Though, of course, that could mean anything, and given that Stone has missed considerable time the past couple of seasons, it's concerning.

Per Head Coach Bruce Cassidy:

- Mark Stone is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The injury is not related to his back. #VegasBorn
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) February 22, 2024

Stone was hit by Yakov Trenin of the Predators in the neutral zone in the 2nd period, resulting in an interference penalty. Stone left the ice and didn't return to the game. Later Thursday afternoon, hockey insider Frank Seravalli provided an even more detailed—and gruesome—update:

Sounds like #VGK Mark Stone is dealing with a lacerated spleen. Timeline is tough to pin down with an injury of that nature, but it’s obviously a significant one. https://t.co/ifFEKOGS41
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 22, 2024

Seravalli hears that it's a lacerated spleen that Stone is dealing with. Yikes.

Back problems kept the Golden Knights' captain out of the lineup for several months last season, and he's been forced to miss significant time, in fact, in the second half of each of the last two seasons. He did return in the playoffs last year and played a huge role in the Golden Knights Stanley Cup run.

The 12-year veteran has played all 56 games so far this season, scoring 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points, far and away Vegas's leading scorer.

The Golden Knights currently sit second in the Pacific division at 32-18-6. With Stone's potentially long-term absence, they'll now definitely be stepping up their search on the trade market for an impact winger.

In 274 games with the Golden Knights over the last six seasons, Stone has 89 goals in 256 points.

Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports