Let’s talk about Mark Stone. He’s best known as a playmaking two-way forward, but his game looks a bit different this season. He's more of a shooter and net-front presence than a pure passer, which is reflected in his shot and scoring chance rates increasing across the board.
The change is especially clear on the power play, where he’s shifted from the play-driver to a bumper threat in the mold of Brayden Point or T.J. Oshie. Watch how Vegas’ offense now moves toward him rather than through him:
In the past, he would often try to make the extra pass. Now he’s embracing a much simpler approach.
Since Stone isn’t a sniper, it’s also worth mentioning that he’s made an effort to play tighter to the crease. If he can’t find room in the slot to get a shot off, he’ll just crash the net. These are his shooting heat maps from last season and then this season:
Unsurprisingly, his commitment to playing in the trenches is causing a ton of chaos:
Finally, shooting more often and from better locations has also affected his playmaking. He may not set his teammates up as frequently anymore, but passing from the inside out opens up really dangerous backdoor options:
Some of this change is likely the result of playing with Eichel (a center who thrives with the puck on his stick) for a decent chunk of the season. Maybe Cassidy's coaching had a hand in this too. Regardless, it's working quite well for Vegas.
What have you thought about Stone's play this season?
The change is especially clear on the power play, where he’s shifted from the play-driver to a bumper threat in the mold of Brayden Point or T.J. Oshie. Watch how Vegas’ offense now moves toward him rather than through him:
In the past, he would often try to make the extra pass. Now he’s embracing a much simpler approach.
Since Stone isn’t a sniper, it’s also worth mentioning that he’s made an effort to play tighter to the crease. If he can’t find room in the slot to get a shot off, he’ll just crash the net. These are his shooting heat maps from last season and then this season:
Unsurprisingly, his commitment to playing in the trenches is causing a ton of chaos:
Finally, shooting more often and from better locations has also affected his playmaking. He may not set his teammates up as frequently anymore, but passing from the inside out opens up really dangerous backdoor options:
Some of this change is likely the result of playing with Eichel (a center who thrives with the puck on his stick) for a decent chunk of the season. Maybe Cassidy's coaching had a hand in this too. Regardless, it's working quite well for Vegas.
What have you thought about Stone's play this season?
