Mark Stone criticizes his teammates performance after being eliminated
The Vegas Golden Knights have been contenders in the regular season, but injuries hit hard this year, and now their captain is speaking out.
The team has often been under scrutiny for how they manage the NHL's long-term injury reserve (LTIR) rules, which seemed to catch up with them in the playoffs. Key players like Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl, and Jack Eichel were sidelined during crucial times, affecting the team's playoff performance. Frustrated, Stone openly criticized the team's strategy during the regular season.
"We felt like we definitely had a team that had a chance to go on a long run,» said Stone. Probably would have been better off putting ourselves in a better position in the regular season. Never easy coming in as the 8-seed and trying to beat all the top teams at the start."
While the Golden Knights have cleverly navigated the LTIR in the past, using it to manage salary caps and player health, including Stone himself. Their captain now questions this approach. The team did manage to challenge the Dallas Stars, who were serious contenders for the Stanley Cup, but ultimately, they fell short in a seven-game series, lacking the necessary team chemistry and resilience.
As the offseason approaches, Vegas faces a tight salary cap situation with limited assets to maneuver. This summer will be crucial as they aim to balance the drive for a Cup with long-term team sustainability. With apparent disagreements between the team's strategy and their captain's perspective, this could be an ongoing issue to watch.
Source: Houseofhockey
Mark Stone calls out his teammates for their poor performance
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