Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone is a game-time decision for Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, coach Bruce Cassidy said.
Stone took part in morning skate in a non-contact role but was a full participant in line rushes and power play drills — signs that he would make his return after missing the past five games with an upper-body injury.
Stone stayed on the ice after the pregame skate with the healthy scratches.
“He hasn’t been ruled out, and he hasn’t been ruled in,” Cassidy said. “We’ll make that decision tonight.”
Stone suffered the injury late in the first period of the Knights’ 5-0 loss in Pittsburgh on March 1 following a light check from Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.
The Knights went 1-4 in the five games with Stone out and dropped to third place in the Pacific Division.
Stone has arguably been the Knights’ most important forward with 60 points in 43 games despite missing 16 of them with a broken finger in the beginning of the year.
Should Stone come back, it would round out the Knights’ forward group.
Tomas Hertl is moving back to second-line center, a move that will put Mitch Marner back to right wing. Pavel Dorofeyev skated on the left side on that line.
Braeden Bowman, who replaced Stone on the top line, moved to the third line with center Colton Sissons and winger Brett Howden.
Keegan Kolesar moved back to his usual fourth-line role with newcomers Nic Dowd and Cole Smith.
Veteran wingers Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad would both come out of the lineup should Stone return.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Penguins at Golden Knights
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: T-Mobile Arena
TV: KMCC-34
Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM/KKGK 1340 AM
Line: Knights -150; total 6
