Scary news hit the Golden Knights at crucial time
Vegas needs to make the right call with trade deadline approaching.
HockeyFeed
There is an awful feeling in Sin City. According to insider Frank Seravalli, there’s growing concern that Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone could be dealing with a similar back injury to the one that limited him to just 37 games last season.
Vegas has been playing remarkably well this season, landing into playoff contention despite a full infirmary. However, the news on Stone does sound scary for what’s next for the Golden Knights, per Seravalli:
“Mark Stone, I can say with confidence, is dealing with another back issue, and that has to be scary news for the Vegas Golden Knights and their fans considering what he went through last year with his back injury and the subsequent procedure that he underwent to try and fix things up. I think the only fluid part of the situation, Mike, for the Vegas Golden Knights is: what exactly is the severity of this back injury? They’re still trying to figure that out.
“Obviously not a secret that Stone is going to be missing some time. Bruce Cassidy, their coach, was saying that he is week-to-week, so that is certainly not day-to-day or anything like that. And where it really begins to get interesting, Mike, is: what happens if Mark Stone is going to potentially be out for the rest of the season? I’m not reporting that or saying that is fact or may happen, but I think if you’re looking at the Vegas Golden Knights, who have always been super aggressive when it comes to trying to improve their team, if, all of a sudden, they have $9+ million dollars in LTIR space to play with, then look out — because they will be one of the prime teams to watch leading up to the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline.”
This is a huge blow for Vegas as Stone ranks second on the Golden Knights’ roster in goals (17) and points (38). While Vegas can use $9+ million dollars in LTIR space around the deadline, how can the team replace a player and leader like Stone? There is still time to wait for an update on Stone, who underwent offseason surgery this summer, hoping he’d nipped his back issues in the bud. The issues have now resurfaced here in mid-January, which while it is awful for Stone, is the right time for Vegas to make the right call on the trade deadline.
Up front, a cheap contract would be best and the Golden Knights could look to the Vancouver Canucks and forward Andrei Kuzmenko. He has 38 points in 42 games so far has played with a cap hit of just $950,000. He could still be resigned by the Canucks, who expressed that desire on Tuesday, though the messy state of the Canadian franchise could have any player land on the trade block ahead of March 3rd…
There will be some options out there for Vegas. The question remains what will happen with Stone and his injured back?
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