Stone has never played a full 82-game season and he has only eclipsed the 70-game mark four times in his decade-long career. His career high in games played was all the way back in his rookie season, where he played in 80 contests. That being said, it seems as though his latest injury is not as bad as many were worried it would be.
Stone's back has been a cause for concern for several years now. At one point it was not clear whether or not he would ever be able to return to the NHL. So it is reasonable that Knights fans would be especially concerned when he leaves a game with a vague upper-body injury. Luckily, the team announced today that the latest injury is not back related.
However, the team still announced that he is officially out week-to-week. Considering how well the 31-year-old has played this season, this is a major loss for the team. Furthermore, his injury timeline greatly complicates the team's trade deadline plans. It seems as though he could be returning around or shortly after the trade deadline in an optimistic scenario, meaning the team won't be able to take advantage of LTIR cap relief to add more at the deadline. That being said, the team will likely still be active, so be sure to stay tuned for updates on the Golden Knights as they look to defend their championship.
