Depending on how you choose to view the reported lacerated spleen Mark Stone suffered on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators, it is either a frustrating blow for the suddenly struggling Vegas Golden Knights and their captain or the first step in another cap circumvention from an organization that seems to have a history of this sort of thing.
First and foremost, this is terrible news for Vegas and a scary situation for Stone. For whatever relief he may feel over not facing further complications related to his twice-surgically repaired back, a lacerated spleen is serious.
There’s also the matter of a brutal setback following a stretch of good health. Before Stone missed Thursday night’s tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team’s leading score had been one of four Golden Knights to play in all of the team’s first 56 games of the season – the most he’s played since 2019-20, a significant step forward for a player who has been riddled with injuries.
Still, some naysayers have watched the Golden Knights make a mockery of the league’s salary cap by making liberal use of long-term injury reserve (LTIR) and regularly paying out team salaries north of $90 million despite a maximum cap figure well shy of that total. Stone was, of course, sidelined last season after back surgery, only to return at the beginning of the postseason, a time when the cap is no longer in play. His week-to-week recovery timeline seems like it could play into the very same scenario.
Impact of Stone’s Injury
No one wants to lose their leading scorer, but the Golden Knights have consistently demonstrated their ability to withstand the absences of key players. This season has already brought extended periods without the services of Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, Zach Whitecloud, William Karlsson and Adin Hill. The club has managed to keep their head above water in the face of all those injuries and have since been rewarded with the return of Theodore and the pending return of Eichel (from ‘Injured Knights center could return on team’s upcoming road trip,’ Las Vegas Review-Journal, 02/22/24).
Sure, there will still be holes in the lineup to overcome. Sheldon Rempal is expected to get a crack at slotting into Stone’s spot alongside Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson. If he falters, head coach Bruce Cassidy could try playing Brendan Brisson out of position, move Stephenson back to the middle or break up the Ivan Barbashev, Nicolas Roy and Jonathan Marchessault line.
Options aside, the broader picture here is that everyone involved is experienced in stepping up in the absence of teammates. Vegas has the depth, balance and veteran know-how to handle themselves.
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Trade Deadline Implications of Stone’s Injury
Okay, here’s where things get fun – or eye-roll-inducing if you aren’t a Golden Knights fan. Eichel’s pending return from LTIR will force Vegas to send down a handful of depth players (likely Brisson, Byron Froese, Mason Morelli and maybe Daniil Miromanov) to remain cap-compliant. Once Stone and his $9.5 million salary is moved into LTIR, however, the club becomes flush with space once again.
Stone had that same $9.5 million cap hit on LTIR last year when the Golden Knights added Barbashev, Teddy Blueger and Jonathan Quick to aid in their Cup run. While Blueger and Quick didn’t add much, Barbashev added a vital seven goals and 11 assists as part of a dominant top line alongside Eichel and Marchessault. That would not have been possible without Stone’s fortuitous timeline to return.
Like it or not, Stone’s injury could make Vegas a player ahead of the March 8 deadline. With a couple of solid trade assets to dangle, they could use additional wing depth with even a healthy roster, let alone when they have numerous forwards sidelined. Names like Vladimir Tarasenko, Jason Zucker and Anthony Duclair may be on the Golden Knights’ radar. GM Kelly McCrimmon may also opt to do more tinkering, making a couple of smaller moves to add depth.
Playoff Implications of Stone’s Injury
There is no clear timeline for Stone at this point. Past injuries of a similar nature have been known to keep hockey players out for roughly two months, which would set him up for a potential playoff comeback somewhere in the middle of the club’s first-round series.
Would a Stone return early in the playoffs fall legitimately within the general timeline of prior lacerated spleen injuries? Yes. Would such a return seem rather dubious in light of Vegas’ LTIR history? Definitely. There exists a very real possibility of, yet again, the defending champions enjoying a return to full health that perfectly coincides with the early stages of their postseason run and features incoming support whose salaries far exceed the $83.5 million salary cap threshold.
We wish Stone a speedy and full recovery from what is a significant, unfortunate injury. What it means for the Golden Knights as they enter the stretch run, however, is a fascinating storyline to watch.
