Golden Knights Captain Mark Stone Placed on IR with Upper-Body Injury

In a significant setback for the Vegas Golden Knights, captain Mark Stone has been placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury. The announcement came on Thursday, confirming that Stone will miss at least the next two games—one at home against Minnesota on Friday and another against Edmonton on Sunday—though there’s a possibility he could be sidelined for a longer period.

Stone sustained the injury during a tough 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he took a hard check to his left arm. Following that game, he missed the subsequent two contests, raising concerns about his health as the season progresses.

This marks the second time this season that the 33-year-old winger has found himself on IR. Earlier in the season, he missed 16 games in October and November due to a broken finger, highlighting the ongoing challenges he has faced with injuries throughout his career.

Despite these setbacks, Stone has been enjoying a standout season, racking up 60 points—21 goals and 39 assists—in just 43 games. He was on track to surpass his previous career high of 73 points, achieved during the 2018-19 season while playing for both Ottawa and Vegas. However, injuries have been a recurring theme for Stone; last season, he played 66 games, his highest total since appearing in 77 during the 2018-19 campaign.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Golden Knights have been proactive in their efforts to bolster the roster. On Thursday, they completed a trade with Washington for center Nic Dowd, two days after acquiring forward Cole Smith from Nashville. With Stone’s absence, the team will look to these new additions to help fill the gap.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.