Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has been cleared to take part in practices and other on-ice sessions with the team as he continues to recover from a lacerated spleen, the club announced Friday morning.
Stone, 31, has 16 goals and 53 points in 56 games with the Golden Knights this season. The Winnipeg, Manitoba product last suited up against the Nashville Predators on February 20.
The Golden Knights also confirmed that Stone will participate in the team’s morning skate on Friday while wearing a non-contact jersey. They have not yet set an official timetable for his return to the lineup.
Vegas is slated to play host to the Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. PT. With a win, the Golden Knights can move back within one point of the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division.
The Golden Knights originally acquired Stone from the Ottawa Senators ahead of the 2019 trade deadline in exchange for a package including defenseman Erik Brannstrom and a 2020 second-round pick.
Stone has firmly established himself as one of the top wingers in the National Hockey League over his six seasons with the Golden Knights, leading the team to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2023 while scoring 24 points in 22 playoff games. Vegas named Stone its first-ever captain in 2021.
Upon the conclusion of his prolific junior career with the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings, Stone debuted in 2012 with the Senators team that originally selected him in the fifth round (No. 178 overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
It took Stone until the 2014-15 season to fully cement himself as an everyday NHL player. The 6’3″ winger racked up 26 goals and 64 points in 80 games that year, finishing second in Calder Memorial Trophy voting and helping Ottawa secure a surprising berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Through 640 career games over parts of 12 regular seasons with the Senators and Golden Knights, Stone has collected 212 goals and 567 points. He’s added 34 goals and 74 points in 95 career playoff contests.
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