The Vegas Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone on injured reserve Monday evening.
Bruce Cassidy labeled Stone as “week-to-week” after the club’s morning skate, adding that Stone will not travel with the team on its upcoming three-game road trip, which kicks off Saturday afternoon in Florida.
Stone left in the third period of last Saturday’s 6-1 victory over the Calgary Flames after falling near the blue line. He skated to the bench and then went to the locker room but did not return to the game.
Stone is believed to be suffering from a wrist or hand injury, though specific details have not been released.
“It’s an unfortunate loss,” Cassidy said, “but someone else will get an opportunity now for at least the short term.”
For now, Brandon Saad will skate on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev in Stone’s place against Carolina, though Cassidy said the position will remain “fluid.”
Brett Howden remains out of the lineup but could help fill the ranks in Stone’s absence.
“It’ll be a loss in every area,” Cassidy said.
Stone plays a key role on both the power play and penalty kill and has been excellent at 5-on-5 so far this season. His 13 points on the year are two behind Jack Eichel for the league lead, and he’s coming off a particularly dominant effort against the Flames in which he recorded two goals and four points before sustaining the injury.
“This year, I think he’s in as good shape as he’s been in since I’ve been here,” Cassidy said of the 33-year-old captain. “It sucks. It really does for him. I feel for him. But he’s always bounced back well, that’s the good news. When we do get him back — whether that’s in the short-, medium- or long-term, we don’t know yet — I’m sure he’ll pick up right where he left off.”
Stone also got off to a red-hot start last year, recording 21 points in his first 13 games before missing a month of action. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with 67 points in 66 games.
Noah Hanifin also remains out of the lineup but, like Howden, is considered day-to-day.
The Golden Knights do not play again until Saturday.