Many people have speculated about Mitch Marner being Mark Stone's heir apparent. Both play a similar two-way style on the wing and act as complementary pieces to the main center. However, the two Golden Knights are much more similar than people realize.
The peeps over at Big Head Hockey concocted a list of wingers who had the most takeaways in a season since 2010. Obviously, the Captain sits atop the list and has four spots. However, one familar name resides with him on this list...
Most takeaways in a season from a winger since 2010:
— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) September 21, 2025
128 — Mark Stone
122 — Mark Stone
104 — Mitch Marner
98 — Mark Stone
96 — Mark Stone
Imagine if these guys teamed up... pic.twitter.com/6NtjlIG4cK
You could make the case that Stone should get top line honors alongside Marner. After all, the forecheck would be turned all the way up to Dubai-hot. But that's not all.
As if being freed from the wrath of nihilists named James wasn't liberating enough, Marner gets to take some mentorship from a similar player. Both play an aggressive forechecking style that applies pressure on their respective opponents. Add in a distinct offensive prowess and it's easy to see why Marner will be Stone's heir apparent.
On top of that, Stone's penchant for creating turnovers extended shifts. That meant giving Eichel more chances to create in space, which turned him into a threat. Imagine an 100+ point player doing that.
But it goes beyond inheriting specific roles. You see, it also has plenty to do with how the duo's similar styles will benefit Eichel himself. In fact, it could be an enhanced version of what fans saw with the superstar center and his Captain playing on his wing.
Why Vegas Golden Knights fans should feel excited about Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel playing together (part deux)
Looking back at last season, the line of Stone, Eichel, and Ivan Barbashev was excellent to start the season. The trio was great at finding scoring opportunities and moving on the rush. Overall, it was a successful campaign (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Line | xGoals % | xGoals For | xGoals Against |
|---|---|---|---|
Stone-Eichel-Barbashev | 51.2 | 21.2 | 20.2 |
While those stats were nice, the xGoals Against are a problem. 20.2 xGoals for your top unit means plenty of potential damage, especially when you lose a top-line player (i.e., Barbashev).
However, losing Barbashev wasn't the only problem. There was a glaring weakness on the top line: the lack of speed. With players like Tanner Pearson getting reps, the line looked slower than with Barbashev, making the forecheck look slower. Part of that came from the 33-year-old aging, which was bound to happen sometime.
That's where the whole "heir apparent" gig comes into play. Marner plays a similar style to the Captain and is also younger and faster. Being 28 years old and moving quickly as a two-way winger has its perks, you know.
Marner should make the Golden Knights top line faster
Watching Training Camp for the first three days, it was apparent that the former "Core Four" member could easily pick up where Stone left off. He gelled perfectly fine with Eichel while doing line rushes and setting up incredible scoring opportunities. Not only that, but Marner was generating takeaways like Stone did, only quicker. It was akin to what Cassidy experimented with to start the season, putting the Captain with Eichel and Barbashev.
Do you want to guess what the record was to start the first 15 games? 9-4-2.
Granted, that's just Cassidy's penchant for starting the regular season on the right foot. But it's better than starting it on the left, especially when you don't have a reliable winger for Eichel. Luckily, that shouldn't be the case for the upcoming season, specifically with the forecheck bringing in a younger doppelganger.