The Vegas Golden Knights announced Friday that team captain Mark Stone remains confident in the team’s core despite consecutive early playoff exits following their 2023 Stanley Cup championship.
“I have full confidence that we’re gonna get back with a chance to win,” Stone said during the Golden Knights’ end-of-year media availability Friday.
Vegas was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in five games in the second round this year, failing to score in both Games 4 and 5. This follows last year’s first-round exit to the Dallas Stars in seven games.
“I still have tons of belief. I still think our core group of guys is still playing at a very high level,” Stone said. “Able to get some real good business done in signing some of our younger, mid-age players to keep them around, which is exciting. You know it’s not going to be the exact same team coming back, there’s going to be changes. I’m sure they’ll be making some tweaks on what they feel went wrong at this time.”
The Golden Knights secured several key players during the season, signing defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb, goaltender Adin Hill, and forwards Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar to contract extensions.
Forwards Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, Victor Olofsson, and goaltender Ilya Samsonov remain pending unrestricted free agents. Smith, who was part of Vegas’ original roster and returned via trade at the deadline, expressed interest in staying with the team.
“If there’s an opportunity to stay here, that’d be great,” Smith said. “I think I play well for this team. I think it’s probably been the best hockey that I’ve played through my career wearing this jersey. It’s a fun group to be a part of. It’s a fun place to call home. My family loves it here. If there’s a way to make it work, that would be great.”
Jack Eichel, the team’s leading scorer, becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1.
“I think with that stuff it’s sort of out of my control,” Eichel said of potential contract negotiations. “I just try and focus on the things that I can control. It’s a phenomenal place to play hockey and live.”
