Mark Stone couldn’t imagine seeing himself playing in another sweater. The Vegas Golden Knights captain would prefer to keep it that way.
“My plan is to retire a Knight, but I hope I can play beyond this,” Stone said. “I plan to play beyond this.”
Stone will head into this season not wondering when he’ll have a new contract. Stone, 34, signed a two-year extension Saturday at a cap hit of $9 million.
The first captain in Knights history had been set to play the final year of his eight-year, $76 million contract he signed when the Knights acquired him in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in February 2019.
“It’s one of those things where it can sometimes drag out, but it’s always nice to get it done going into the season and not worrying about it,” Stone said. “I’m glad it’s over with.”
Stone is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with a career-high 73 points in 60 games.
But it was his fifth straight year of missing time due to injury. He missed 16 games in October with a broken finger, missed five more in March with a lower-body injury, then tore his left adductor during the second round of the playoffs against Anaheim before returning during the Western Conference Final.
Stone said after the season he has no plans of stopping any time soon. He doubled down on that on Thursday.
“I think I’m going to play three more years. I might be in this same situation in three years,” Stone said. “A lot of things can happen in three years, but I’m more focused on this day and knowing I’ll at least be here for three years.”
Extending Stone took care of one of the Knights’ most important pieces of business. The Knights are down to five pending unrestricted free agents. Center William Karlsson becomes the next notable name that needs to be addressed.
The upper limit of the NHL’s salary cap is projected to increase to $113.5 million next season, a $9.5 million bump from this year. Stone took $500,000 less from his current $9.5 million cap hit to give the Knights slight flexibility moving forward.
The team, as of now, is projected to have approximately $21.5 million in cap space next summer for a potential Karlsson extension and any other business they want to address.
“He’s our emotional leader,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said on Thursday. “We were really excited to keep him as part of our organization for this year. He feels great. He’s had one of his best years last year. We’re thrilled with his level of play, his leadership and everything that goes with him being the captain.”
Stone opened camp with his usual mates on the first line, skating to the right of center Jack Eichel and left wing Ivan Barbashev.
That line will be intact for, at least, the next two seasons. Barbashev’s five-year, $25 million contract expires after the 2028 season. Eichel is playing the first year of his eight-year, $108 million extension he signed before the start of last season.
“So happy for him and his family, and for our whole team that we’re keeping him around,” Eichel said. “Well-deserved. It’s great news for this group.”
Stone has been at the forefront of the Knights’ success, captaining both trips to the Stanley Cup Final in the past four years.
However much time he has left — three years or beyond — he wants to get back again.
“My goal is the same everyday I step foot in the locker room, is to help this team win the Stanley Cup,” Stone said. “I’ve said that since I’ve gotten here, and I’ll say it until I leave here.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
