As I was writing this, I wasn't thinking about Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights. I suddenly thought about Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. I remembered him giving a speech to his students, full of his eccentric Robin Williams charm, inspiring them to think for themselves.
Rest in peace, Robin Williams. You brought light to millions of people with your bright personality.
But that goes back to Stone returning to the lineup. On Wednesday, Golden Knights fans felt like standing up on a table after seeing their Captain return. If you don't know, the Winnipeg native suffered a wrist injury in October, putting him on... LTIR.
Luckily, he brings some juice back to the lineup. The forward has two goals and 11 assists in six games this season. He has 10 primary assists and seven assists on the power play. In short, he brings an offensive leader back into the fold.
Considering that Vegas has struggled to score at times with slumping players like Mitch Marner, that's a Thanksgiving gift that Golden Knights fans wanted. The injury bug is ravaging the town after a yearlong slumber, causing chaos in Las Vegas.
But let's go back to regular ol' captains for a second. What can we learn about such leaders? What makes them stand out? Why, the answer's relatively simple.
They don't crack under the pressure. They can galvanize a team and bring out the best in everyone, whether it's the fourth line or the top unit. That's what Stone does so well, specifically when a team's down on its luck. It's also what the Golden Knights desperately needed with a 10-5-7 record and 27 points.
So before you dive into that turkey leg on Thursday, dive into your inner leader. It doesn't matter if it's at your job or in your relationship. Step up and go big under the pressure. We all have a little Expressive Mark Stone in us, you know?