The Vegas Golden Knights announced that right-winger Mark Stone is sidelined indefinitely with a back issue. Additionally, general manager Kelly McCrimmon stated Jack Eichel returns this week, against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
Kelly McCrimmon says Jack Eichel will play Wednesday night against Colorado
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 14, 2022
Mark Stone Injured, Jack Eichel Healthy
Vegas received some great news coupled with some bad (but anticipated) news. Eichel finally received clearance to play following the drawn-out neck injury, trade, and surgery circus. Wednesday night’s tilt with the Avs marks the first time Eichel dons a non-Buffalo Sabres sweater. Needless to say, this is likely the most highly-anticipated season debut for a single player in 2021-22.
The bad news, though, revolves around Mark Stone. Another superstar forward Vegas acquired via trade over the last couple of seasons, Stone dealt with numerous injuries that forced him out of the lineup already this year. Some were related to the current problem, which appeared to be a back issue. The team decided to shut Stone down long-term to recover, and moved him to the LTIR.
So, Jack Eichel is in, and Mark Stone is out. At least for now…
The $ Situation on the Books
Financially, the situation remains favourable to Vegas’ salary cap. Activating Eichel also activates his $10 million cap hit; de-activating Stone also de-activates his $9.5 million cap hit. For a team with absolutely no cap space, that math was a necessity. It is also extremely reminiscent of the Tampa Bay Lightning from a year ago. They, too, had no cap space, but with Nikita Kucherov dealing with a long-term injury, they moved his $9.5 million cap hit to the LTIR. That gave them the flexibility to be active at the trade deadline, and then Kucherov returned for the start of the postseason.
Why does the salary cap suddenly become a non-factor for the postseason? GREAT QUESTION.
What Vegas Will Miss Without Stone
So far this season, Stone scored eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points to go along with eight minutes in penalties. His possession numbers sat at a favourable 52.5 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 3.3.
Over his 11-year NHL career, Stone suited up for the Ottawa Senators and Golden Knights. He has 178 goals and 296 assists for 474 career points in 532 career games. Originally drafted by the Senators in the 6th round, 178th overall of the 2010 entry draft, Stone’s renowned for his two-way game. He finished in the top five vote-getters for the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward for the past five consecutive seasons. One could argue that Stone is the top defensive forward in the league today without a Selke title to his name.
What Vegas Will Add With Eichel
Eichel only suited up for 21 contests in 2020-21, and obviously has no games under his belt yet this season either. His last full NHL season came in 2019-20 when the then-23-year-old scored 78 points in 68 games. Now, the centre who went 2nd overall to Buffalo in the 2015 draft will look to demonstrate the elite ability he exuded before his neck issues.
Over his six-year NHL career, Eichel has 139 goals and 216 assists for 355 career points in 375 career games. Eichel leaves Buffalo, where he never once qualified for the postseason and joins a powerhouse Golden Knights roster that has never once failed to qualify for the postseason. It’s quite the contrast, one Vegas fans can’t wait to see in action.
What This Means for the Future
Expect the hockey world to roll its eyes over and over again at this scenario, especially if things play out the way everyone predicts. It is a carbon copy of what Tampa Bay did with Kucherov last year, and that certainly had plenty of fans considering their Stanley Cup championship to be slightly tainted.
Whatever side you’re on, though, the move is not against the rules. In other terms: don’t hate the player, hate the game. The NHL should be noting this as a follow-up to what the Bolts did last year, and maybe should also consider ways they could close this loophole. Maybe the cap should remain in effect for the postseason? Maybe a smaller percentage of a player’s cap hit should be forgiven when on LTIR? Maybe players on LTIR at the end of the season should be ineligible to return until the following regular season?
For now, it is what it is. The Golden Knights lose one of their superstars but add a brand-new one to the lineup immediately. And it’s probably a safe assumption that both Mark Stone and Jack Eichel will factor into the postseason.
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