Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone has been cleared to practice after suffering a lacerated spleen on February 20.
Mark Stone has been cleared to practice with the team on the ice as he continues to recover from a lacerated spleen sustained on February 20.
Stone is expected to participate in a non-contact jersey beginning on Friday during the team’s morning skate.#VegasBorn
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 12, 2024
For the second straight year, the Golden Knights placed Stone’s $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), which allowed them to make some major upgrades to their roster, acquiring Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin, and Tomas Hertl ahead of the trade deadline.
Last season, Stone was placed on LTIR with a back injury, but was deemed good to go for game one of the playoffs, where the salary cap is no longer in place. Many believed the Golden Knights were up to the same trickery this year, and given today’s news, they are not happy.
NHL playoffs start next week.
Mark Stone pic.twitter.com/eGcU0W937r
— VisuallyBetter (@Isuckatpicking) April 12, 2024
Mark Stone finding ways to go on LTIR every year pic.twitter.com/KhmmdgZX9n
— Jez (@Zer0PucksGiven) April 12, 2024
Mark Stone’s spleen when it heard it was time for the playoffs pic.twitter.com/lCzBvbtgem
— Nate (@VanCityFins) April 12, 2024
⏰ing pic.twitter.com/3mPf8UMquE
— Rob Sampare Brotchie (@canucker101) April 12, 2024
— Justin Starr (@JStarr02) April 12, 2024
Congrats on the ability to get away with the Cap Circumvention. Always have been Bettmans little cherished pet
— x – Chaos⚡️| #GoBolts (44-27-8) (@TBLightningLIVE) April 12, 2024
Congratulations on the cheating.
— Adrian (@Pools_Point) April 12, 2024
LTIR merchants 🤌🏼
— Jinzle (@Jinzle_) April 12, 2024
Lemme guess? Hes making his return game 1 of the playoffs
— Tyler Dancisin (@tyler_dancisin) April 12, 2024
Oh look called it. Boy didn’t see that one coming pic.twitter.com/OubCXWSjgB
— Makar🐐 (@JaysonRamsey9) April 12, 2024
While fans are frustrated, nothing the Golden Knights are doing is technically against league rules. The NHL has been adamant in the past that they do full research into making sure players on LTIR are indeed injured and unable to play. Whether they do that properly is a heavily debated topic, but what they are doing is something every team is technically able to do with an injured player.
It is also worth noting that a lacerated spleen is a serious injury, so it isn’t as if this was completely fabricated. That said, if he can return for game one of the opening round, the timing is certainly suspicious and will draw even more outrage from fans of opposing teams.
Though they have struggled in recent months, the Golden Knights are a talented team looking to defend last year’s Stanley Cup championship. Getting Stone back would be a huge boost in helping them do just that, as the 31-year-old had 16 goals and 53 points through 57 games before his injury.
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