Mark Stone

Mark Stone is the kind of player who doesn't have to say much to change a game, and that's been true long before the Golden Knights handed him the captaincy. Drafted back at pick 178 in 2010, he turned into one of the best late-round finds the league has ever produced, and he came to Vegas right ahead of the 2019 trade deadline. He never looks like he's in a hurry, and then he sticks a hand in and the puck's gone, a single beat of timing that almost makes it look unfair. That's the whole trick. He reads a forechecker's next move better than most people read a matchup, and the takeaway always ends up becoming a pass going the other way.

He's never just good at the flashy stuff, though. Stone plays a calm, complete game that steadies everyone around him, kills penalties, and quietly turns defensive stops into offensive chances. That's why the franchise bet on him as its first captain, and why he's the one who lifted the Cup first in 2023, after a hat trick in the clincher no less. He added Team Canada duty at the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina. Watch how the room looks to him when a game stays close late, and it's clear why he's the heartbeat of the group.

What is expected of Mark Stone in 2026-2027?

You wouldn't normally think a captain has anything left to prove, but Stone's shoulders carry real pressure. He turns 33 this season, and no Golden Knights campaign has ever had him play more than 66 games. He's also in the final year of the contract he signed back in 2019. To hold the chance he wants to finish his career in Vegas, he'll need to match or beat last year's 28-goal, 73-point campaign, his best numbers since 2018-19. Then there's the duty that comes with the "C": he led this group to two Stanley Cup Finals, and much of the road back to the series runs through him. Put together a healthy season and he isn't just keeping the seat warm. He's earning himself one more contract in 2027.