The Vegas Golden Knights, in their quest for consecutive championships, have hit a significant snag. They're facing the prospect of pushing forward without one of their star performers for a considerable stretch.
In a disappointing turn of events, the Golden Knights fell 5-3 to the Nashville Predators last night, but the loss on the scoreboard wasn't the only setback. Mark Stone, the team's captain, exited the game early and did not make a return.
In a follow-up today, Golden Knights' general manager Kelly McCrimmon delivered the grim news during a press briefing. He announced that Mark Stone is set to miss a significant amount of time due to an injury he picked up in the clash against Nashville.
Despite Stone's history with injuries, he's known for bouncing back strong, especially when the playoffs roll around. However, his absence now opens up potential cap space as the trade deadline approaches, offering the Golden Knights an opportunity to reinforce their squad.
The exact duration of Stone's recovery remains uncertain, but should he be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), it would free up valuable cap space for the team. That said, the Golden Knights will need to manage their cap carefully to accommodate Stone's return before the season concludes.