Mark Stone’s arrival helped lift Golden Knights to next level

Golden Knights general manager George McPhee said he didn’t want to go “big game hunting” at the NHL’s Feb. 25 trade deadline.

He still landed a prize fit for his mantle.

McPhee’s trophy was a 6-foot-4, 219-pound right wing who’s as adept in his own zone as he is in the opponent’s end. A former sixth-round pick — based on perceived flaws in his skating ability — who became an All-Star level player because of the way he uses his stick and his vision for the game.

His name is Mark Stone, and it took forward Oscar Lindberg, prospect Erik Brannstrom and a 2020 second-round pick to pry him from the Ottawa Senators, plus an eight-year, $76 million extension to keep him. Still, the 26-year-old gave the Knights no reason for buyer’s remorse.

“It’s been different,” said Stone, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, native. “I’ve grown up in cold climates my whole life. Hockey was the main thing there, where as here you come to town and you expect the Knights to be an afterthought, but quickly I realized this town loves their team. It’s been awesome.”

Stone’s teammates say the same thing about his addition, because after he arrived he quickly helped take a solid team to the next level. The Knights were 1-5-1 in their last seven games before the trade deadline, but they won 10 of their first 11 with Stone in the lineup.

“He made us better because at that time we thought we were a pretty good team,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “Now we think we’re a real good team. It was a mental part with our group because we were struggling a little bit before the trade deadline. I think when George, our ownership and our management made that trade, it gave everybody a boost.”

Stone gave the team more than an emotional lift. He provided playmaking on the power play, solid forechecking and lived up to his reputation as one of the league’s best defensive forwards from his spot on the second line. Even if his scoring — he had 11 points in his first 18 games with the Knights — trailed off a bit, his ability to quickly turn defense into offense remained impressive.

Stone’s 122 takeaways led the NHL by 22, and he finished atop the league in that category for the fourth time in five seasons.

“He creates second, third chances by getting the puck back,” linemate Paul Stastny said. “A lot of goals are scored off turnovers. It’s not too often you score off the rush, and if you do it’s because of a turnover or rebound. But if you watch, a lot of goals that are rebounds or in front of the net start 20, 30 seconds earlier in the shift where one guy makes a play to keep the puck alive, and that’s what he’s really good at.”

The Knights need Stone to continue to do that for years to come to live up to his hefty price tag.

His first impression was successful, but it was just the beginning of a long-term relationship that will continue into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“I’m excited,” Stone said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to play playoff hockey.”

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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.