Golden Knights’ Stone out week-to-week with wrist injury

The Vegas Golden Knights will be without their captain for a period of time, as head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters Monday that Mark Stone is out on a week-to-week basis with his wrist injury.

Stone left the team’s win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday early after an awkward fall. The team had a 6-1 lead early in the third period at the time of his departure. Stone was also roughed up in Thursday night’s game against Boston after a collision into the boards.

Stone had been skating on the team’s top line centered by Jack Eichel and joined on the left wing by Ivan Barbashev. The trio had been setting the league on fire as of late, as Eichel and Stone sit first and second in the NHL in scoring with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Barbashev has tallied six points in six games.

With Stone sidelined, Brandon Saad, Reilly Smith and Alexander Holtz are among the candidates to jump into the team’s top six. The second line is currently comprised of Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner. According to The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, Saad was skating in Stone’s spot at the team’s morning skate.

With a record of 4-0-2, Vegas is one of just four teams around the league yet to suffer a loss in regulation. On Monday night, they’re set to play host to another one of those teams, the league’s last unbeaten squad, in the Carolina Hurricanes.

After Monday’s game, the Golden Knights will fly East for a three-game swing that includes high-end games against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and then the return game in Raleigh against the Canes.

Cassidy also shared that Stone will not join the team on that trip, meaning the earliest he could theoretically return would be Friday, Oct. 31 for the club’s return to home ice against the Colorado Avalanche.