Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone will be sidelined for an undisclosed period after undergoing back surgery, the team announced on Wednesday.
Stone’s surgery comes after the left winger was injured on January 12 within four minutes of the 4-2 win over the visiting Florida Panthers. Shortly after Stone began his rehabilitation, it was determined that the player would require surgery. This is the second time in the space of a year that the Golden Knights captain has required back surgery, having undergone a lumbar discectomy in May.
With Stone no longer available for the playoffs, Las Vegas remains in a strong position, having gone 17-7-1 including a nine-game winning streak in November. Along with new coach Bruce Cassidy’s tactics, the Golden Knights have also vastly improved thanks to the standout performance by rookie-turned-All-Star Logan Thompson.
The Golden Knights’ recent form has declined, however, with the team going 2-6-2 in their previous 10 outings. Currently, the team sits in third place in the Pacific Division, currently holding onto the first of two Western Conference wild-card spots.
Prior to his injury, Stone had enjoyed an impressive season, scoring 38 points (17 goals and 21 assists) to put himself second in the team’s rankings.
