How Mark Stone Has Quietly Reinvented Himself
Vegas' captain is thriving in a different role
The Vegas Golden Knights’ season could have gone wrong in a number of ways. They’ve faced a few notable departures, key injuries, Alex Pietrangelo’s nine-game personal leave of absence and question marks in the crease.
On top of that, Bruce Cassidy was introduced as their head coach in the summer. That’s a new voice and system to absorb in short order.
In spite of these hurdles, Vegas leads the Western Conference with a 26-12-2 record. As you might expect, captain Mark Stone has been critical to the team’s success:
Though his overall impact remains stellar, it’s packaged quite differently this season—and the change has boosted his entire club’s outlook in 2022-23.
Here’s how Stone has quietly redefined his game.
Trigger Man
Stone has been a playmaking two-way forward for a long time. With high-usage center Jack Eichel joining his line this year, Vegas ran the risk of cramming too many cooks in the kitchen.
To avoid that issue, Stone has surrendered the reins and embraced more of a meat-and-potatoes game. Even when Eichel was sidelined with a lower-body injury, Stone focused his efforts on making himself available in the offensive zone and testing goaltenders with his shot.
This is particularly apparent on the power play, where his role has shifted from a Matthew Tkachuk-style setup man to a bumper threat in the mold of T.J. Oshie:
Stone is simply firing the puck and going from there. He’s thinking less and acting more decisively, which is a positive development for a player who would occasionally try too hard to conjure something out of nothing.
Of course, this direct tack is reflected in the numbers as well:
His shot attempt rate per 60 minutes has gone from 10.43 last season to 13.85.
His shot rate has gone from 6.28 to 8.32.
His scoring chance rate has gone from 7.43 to 11.20.
Those are his highest averages since 2018-19. For the first time in a while, Vegas’ offense is moving toward Stone rather than through him.
To be clear, he’s still a deft playmaker. He just doesn’t insist on orchestrating the attack by himself. The veteran winger is growing comfortable with the notion that he’s perhaps most effective as the tip of the spear.
Home Plate
Now, it’s worth mentioning that Stone isn’t a sniper by any stretch of the imagination. He’s never even scored 30 goals in a season.
That’s why he’s setting up shop much closer to the net in 2022-23. You don’t need Alexander Ovechkin’s shooting talent to convert your opportunities when you’re standing right in the goaltender’s grill.
On the rush, he barrels toward the crease and lets his linemates drive the action. On the cycle, he either generates traffic or flares out for quick one-timer looks. Whatever the scenario may be, Stone is carrying his shot mentality into the heart of the defense:
The 30-year-old now lives in the belly of the beast. In fact, 82% of his shots come from prime real estate.
If you aren’t convinced yet, watch the film:
Not only is he shooting more often, but he’s doing so from far more dangerous territory. Naturally, this has turned him into a greater scoring threat. He’s tallied 16 goals in 40 games (a 33-goal pace), and the underlying stats suggest this is a sustainable trend:
He’s registering the most high-danger chances in his career.
He hasn’t posted a higher expected goal rate since his rookie year in Ottawa.
Beyond his individual metrics, this emphasis on the trenches opens up a world of possibilities for Vegas’ offense. It’s easy to forget that Stone is a 6’3”, 217-pound forward. His ability to wreak havoc in the slot leads to quality shots for everyone on the ice.
Playmaking
The benefits of Stone’s new role extend to his playmaking. He’s indeed still a very good passer, but opponents can no longer cheat in that direction because he isn’t trying to dish directly into the teeth of the defense.
Instead, he’s drawing attention in crowded areas and slipping pucks to teammates off to the side:
Passing from the inside out has allowed Stone to rack up assists at a solid rate (1.51/60 minutes) while increasing his scoring. He may not be dishing out high-danger passes as frequently, but when he spots one, he’s making it count.
All told, Stone’s revamped offense has resulted in the 19th-most even-strength points in the league. It’s bringing out the best in his teammates too. Thanks to his takeaway ability (third among forwards) and defensive acumen, they enjoy an abundance of touches. Thanks to his willingness to drive the net and pull the trigger, they’re afforded more room to create on the outside.
Stone, Eichel and Chandler Stephenson form an especially dangerous trio.
Among all forward lines that have played at least 250 minutes together, they rank second in expected goal share and third in actual goal share:
Eichel will return to the lineup on Thursday night. He’s actually slated to play alongside Reilly Smith and Nicolas Roy instead of Stone and Stephenson, but that’s a testament to how well Stone has fared in the star center’s absence.
No matter who’s next to him, he’s getting the job done.
In his worst moments as a Golden Knight, Stone tried to do everything. He’d hold on to the puck for an eternity in hopes of finding the perfect play, but as the saying goes, perfect is the enemy of good.
This year, he’s pruned that habit and learned that less is often more.