Mark Stone is well-known among the Vegas Golden Knights franchise for being expressive. Fans love seeing the captain's many faces and watching his excitement as he scores another goal. However, fans could get more looks at the Winnipeg native on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev.
Stone scored two goals and added an assist in Wednesday's 8-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. He scored on the power play as well, helping a past beleaguered unit get over the hump against a solid Avalanche team. His performance helped the Golden Knights win their sixth straight season opener, putting them on the right track for the season.
However, there's more to Mark Stone's performance than simple individual accolades. He also looked great with Eichel and Barbashev, outplaying the Avalanche's top line. It was a remarkable game that showed fans what could happen if the group stays healthy for a season. A combination of offense, speed, and forechecking power will make the team extremely dangerous throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
Thus, it's easy to see why the Captain should have staying power on the top unit. He plays well with Eichel and Barbashev, bouncing off and complementing the other's playing style. If the Golden Knights can get this type of scoring from the group, there's no reason why they can't make another deep postseason run.
How Mark Stone worked well with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev
It's no secret that Mark Stone and Jack Eichel have played together before. Last season, according to Natural Stat Trick, the duo scored 16 goals together (the unit had 11 goals against) in 42 games. That's from 236:15 of TOI, where the pair also outshot the competition, 128-117. It's a promising sign for the Vegas Golden Knights if they can replace outgoing production with in-house options, specifically if it's from the Captain.
But what about Stone and Barbashev? The two forwards played together for 215:06 in TOI (56 games) last season, outscoring the competition, 15-10. That's an impressive mark considering they were expected to score 8.59 goals and allow 7.46. Seeing the Winnipeg native fit in seamlessly with the two forwards is promising for his statline, where he can produce a career year for the Golden Knights.
It's also promising for Vegas in they can rely on this line for the bulk of their production. Everyone knows what Eichel is capable of, as proven by his four-assist production on Wednesday. Barbashev can act as a solid running mate on the top line as well, using his speed and sheer physical power to overwhelm opponents. Add Stone's veteran presence and the group can compete with anybody on a nightly basis.
Stone's presence on the top line will help the Vegas Golden Knights
It isn't just even-strength opportunities that Mark Stone is doing well on the top line. It's also the power play, a historically mundane unit that has haunted the Vegas Golden Knights. On Stone's second goal, Jack Eichel was set up for a shot outside the point. Stone redirected it for a power play goal, putting the game out of reach.
CAPTAIN'S SECOND OF THE KNIGHT 🗿🗿 pic.twitter.com/pbr0bvDwTQ
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 10, 2024
Normally, the Golden Knights have been medicore on this unit, where they scored on 19.6% of their man advantage opportunities heading into Wednesday's contest. However, the Captain will get more ample scoring chances with Eichel and Ivan Barbashev on both sides. They'll bring more life to the power play, especially with newer pieces in tow.
Overall, the trio combined for four goals and seven assists in Wednesday's game. All three forwards were stars of the game, adding an exclamation point to a stellar all-around performance by the Golden Knights. Much fuss was made about the team losing valuable scoring pieces, such as Jonathan Marchessault. If Stone can take Marchessault's spot on the top unit, that'll mean great things for Vegas this season... including a potential Stanley Cup Final run.