Where do Stone, Golden Knights go after captain’s surgery?

The Vegas Golden Knights have lost some momentum this season and have seen their lead in the Pacific Division evaporate as a result. Now, they have another obstacle to overcome.

Entering the All-Star break, the Golden Knights are 29-18-4, one point behind the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific, and they will have to attempt to keep pace without captain Mark Stone.

Stone has played in 43 games this season and is second on the team in goals (17) and points (38), but as of Wednesday, he will be out indefinitely. The Vegas captain underwent his second back surgery in the last year, which could make the outlook for him and the Golden Knights foggy.

What now for Stone and the Golden Knights?

To this point, I have seen nothing that indicates that Stone’s injury will threaten his career, but you have to wonder how impactful he will be after two surgeries. Back injuries can be tricky for athletes to navigate, and Stone has struggled to stay in the lineup in recent years.

Plus, his production has slipped in the last two seasons after he posted back-to-back 60-point campaigns.

I’m not suggesting that his future with Vegas is in jeopardy, but he may not be as dynamic as he’s been in the past, and another injury could end his run with the Golden Knights earlier than expected.

For Vegas this season, it will have to find another way to produce offense. The team already scores only 3.1 goals per game (17th in the NHL), and Stone has been one of the catalysts for the offense.

It’s good that the Golden Knights are aware of Stone’s situation prior to the trade deadline so that they can make a move if necessary. With the Vegas defense being good but not great, a move to bolster the offense will in fact be necessary.

Could a player like Patrick Kane be on the list of Vegas trade options? Given their affinity for acquiring star players, I don’t see why Kane wouldn’t be an option.

There’s no doubt that this is a blow for the Golden Knights. As the team looks to get back on track, it will need its current players to step up while management looks for potential deadline upgrades.