Can you imagine what Mark Stone could do if he played most—if not all—of the 82 games with the Vegas Golden Knights in a season? The Captain would easily become the first Golden Knights player in franchise history with 100 points, etching his name in the annals of the franchise's history. He'd also become recognized as one of the best NHL players around, earning respect among his peers...
...At least that's how it should go. This season, Stone is averaging 1.46 points per game, putting him in fifth place in the NHL. That's higher than big brands like Leon Drasaitl (1.45), David Pastrnak (1.37), and Jack Eichel (1.36). It's no secret that Stone's a terrific player for the Golden Knights. It's just that people haven't been impressed with him while playing for Vegas...
...At least until now. The attention has been focused on Eichel and Mitch Marner throughout the 2025-26 season. However, it's the Captain who's been the most impressive star so far. In fact, you can say that he's the most surprising player this season, even as he plays in the 2026 Olympics.
How, you ask? Well, numerous factors come into play here. Obviously, there's the factor of being overshadowed by your superstar teammates. However, the stats show why Stone's been the most pleasant surprise of the 2025-26 season.
Why Mark Stone has been the most surprising Vegas Golden Knights star this season
First, we must look at Stone's entire career from a points-per-game perspective. That way, fans can see how overpowering the Captain has been this season.
Season | Points Per Game |
|---|---|
2012-13 | 0.00 |
2013-14 | 0.42 |
2014-15 | 0.80 |
2015-16 | 0.81 |
2016-17 | 0.76 |
2017-18 | 1.07 |
2018-19 | 0.95 |
2019-20 | 0.97 |
2020-21 | 1.11 |
2021-22 | 0.81 |
2022-23 | 0.88 |
2023-24 | 0.95 |
2024-25 | 1.02 |
2025-26 | 1.46 |
Putting things into perspective, the COVID-19 season of 2020-21 was his best season from this viewpoint. He scored 21 goals and 40 assists in 55 games, making him one of the most lethal weapons for Vegas.
But now? He's closing in on the 61-point mark in only 41 games. His career-high in points is 73 in 2018-19, which should be shattered, barring any unforeseen circumstances. But the points-per-game pace isn't the only thing that's been impressive.
This season, the Winnipeg native has seven goals and 15 assists on the power play, giving the unit more bite. People talk about how Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev have given the league's fifth-best power play (25.5%) plenty of said bite. However, they overlook Stone's overall effectiveness, where he serves as the jack-of-all-trades.
Stone's advanced statistics tell a broader story of his surprising effectiveness
If you dig a bit deeper into the stats, you'll see that Stone has done much better in the shooting department. Mind you, there are some people that'll still scream at their bloody televisions for the Captain to shoot the puck. However, his effectiveness has surprised plenty of people (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck for all situations).
Player | Shooting Percentage | Shooting Percentage On Unblocked Shots Above Average | Expected % Of Unblocked Shots That Missed Net | Corsi | Fenwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Stone | 22.8% | 5.2% | 22.2% | 60% | 62% |
The expected percentage of unblocked shots that missed the net, shooting percentage on unblocked shots above expected, Fenwick, and shooting percentage would all be career-bests if the season ended today. However, it shows a broader point about Stone's game.
He's becoming much more dangerous if you give him space. He's finding holes and is punishing defenders and goaltenders for giving him said space. In turn, that's turning into goals and more expressions. That happens to be the two things that fans want to see from their Captain in crunch time.
All of this culminates in a surprising campaign that's anchoring the Golden Knights' offense. Vegas saw what happens when you don't have your best player on the ice earlier this season. Now? They're benefiting from having the most important piece around.