Golden Knights Name Franchise’s First Captain: Mark Stone
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer loves his emotion on the ice. The fans adore his facial expressions when he plays. And VGK defenseman Brayden McNabb said the time was right.
The Golden Knights, entering its fourth season Thursday evening at T-Mobile Arena, have their franchise’s first captain — winger Mark Stone.
The Knights also have alternates — original Golden Knights player Reilly Smith and newcomer defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is the former captain of the St. Louis Blues.
McNabb explained why Stone, a player the Knights acquired from Ottawa, was the right fit.
“Just the way he plays the game,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “It was time for sure. It’s always nice to have a leader.”
LVSportsBiz.com asked Stone what it will be like to be captain for a team in only its fourth year of existence.
The complete media session is here:
Stone is a 28-year-old winger from Winnipeg, Manitoba and was traded by Ottawa to the Golden Knights during the 2018-19 season. On March 8, 2019, Stone signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension, with $48 million in signing bonuses. He has scored at least 20 goals six times in his career, including a postseason Hat Trick against the San Jose Sharks in April 2019.
The Knights also have another player who is a former captain on his old team — Max Pacioretty, who was captain on his former Montreal team. Pacioretty and Stone are linemates for the VGK.
