Should Mark Stone be on the NHL Network's Top 20 winger list?

The NHL Network released their Top 20 winger list on Wednesday for the upcoming 2024-25 season. It featured lucrative names such as Nikita Kucherov, Mitch Marner, and David Pastrnak. It shouldn't surprise hockey fans that such superstars would appear on the list. However, Vegas Golden Knights fans will notice one absent name from that list: Mark Stone.

Let's lay the groundwork for those at home. Heading into last season, Stone was ranked 19th on the list, a good spot for him and his hard work. The Captain scored 16 goals and 37 assists in 2023-24. Now, remember that he played 56 games, spending time on the sidelines with a lacerated spleen. Notching 37 assists in that span should warrant some respect, especially when he scores 53 points. Frustrating, right?

Therefore, there should be some consideration over names like Brad Marchand (29 goals, 38 assists in 82 games), Alex Ovechkin (31 goals, 34 assists in 79 games), and Travis Konecky (33 goals, 35 assists in 76 games). Stone's offensive production helped the team during its playoff push, getting them to a sixth postseason appearance in seven seasons.

There are also some consideration pertaining to why he shouldn't be on it. There are many talented wingers in the NHL right now, with names like Jonathan Marchessault being excluded from the list. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Stone's exclusion happened.

But is Stone being left off the list justified? What reasons are there for the Captain being on (or off) the list? Both sides have legitimate reasons, whether it's his injury history or point production in a short time. Let's examine these two sides and see where they stand.

The case for Mark Stone representing the Vegas Golden Knights on the NHL Network's Top 20 winger list

As mentioned, Mark Stone pulled off an impressive feat of 0.95 points per game in 2024-25. Compared to Konecky (ranked 20th, 0.89 points per game last season), Ovechkin (ranked 19th, 0.82 points per game), and Marchand (ranked 18th, 0.82 points per game), he's put up solid point totals despite missing time with a lacerated spleen.

There are also comparable stats between these stars. Despite Stone scoring 16 goals (compared to Konecky's 33), he was behind Konecky by 0.02 in high-danger expected goals. More involvement in lower-danger goals played a factor in Konecky's total, especially when he averaged 0.71 points throughout his career (Stone has an average of 0.89 points per game throughout his career).

Stone also had a better shooting talent above average than Konecky, posting a total percentage of 10.4% (compared to Konecky's 9.8%). He also did better in shooting percentage (13.7% for Stone compared to 13.5%) and points per 60 minutes (2.93 for the Captain compared to 2.71). These advantages should warrant a good reason for the Vegas Golden Knights star to be at the 20th spot minimum.

The case against Mark Stone being on the list

The common theme that can be drawn from the bottom three players on the NHL Network's list is they've played close to 82 games last season. Ovechkin and Marchand have done a relatively good job staying healthy in their careers and it showed again in 2023-24. If Mark Stone can avoid any freak injuries in the upcoming year, it'll help his ranking and earning more respect.

Let's also be honest: The list is stacked with big-time goal-scorers, both old and new. Whether it's younger superstars like David Pastrnak or the older guard like Ovechkin, there's a good reason why they're there. These players have carved out a name for themselves as legitimate players, making their teammates better. With players that regularly flirt with 100-point seasons every year, it's easy to see why Stone would get passed up.

The verdict

It's not to say that Stone doesn't do this. He does whenever he's on the ice. However, that word "whenever" is important and goes back to staying healthy. But it also serves as the list being deep, consisting of the game's best names and talent. It's not expected that the Captain would top the list because that's unrealistic, despite how cool that would be. That also holds true when these names dominate numerous statistical categories that Stone doesn't have a grip on (i.e. high-danger expected goals and shooting percentage).

Overall, Stone should be in the conversation for the 20th spot. He's put in tremendous work in a shortened span, making him a good name. However, there are better (and healthier) players who deserve recognition, including Marchessault. However, that doesn't mean he can't prove the critics wrong and post incredible numbers next season. Having that chip on his shoulder should make the Vegas Golden Knights better.