Mark Stone Bio
Mark Stone (born May 13, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the sixth round, 178th overall, of the 2010 NHL entry draft, Stone developed into one of the league’s premier two-way forwards. He led the Vegas Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup championship during the 2022–23 season, cementing his reputation as both a leader and a clutch performer at the highest level of professional hockey.
Early Life and Background
Mark Stone was born on May 13, 1992, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to parents Rob and Jackie Stone. He grew up in a hockey household and attended Westwood Collegiate high school in Winnipeg, where he continued to develop his game against strong local competition. His older brother, Michael Stone, also pursued hockey at an elite level, eventually playing in the NHL as a defenceman for the Calgary Flames.
Stone began his competitive hockey journey in the Manitoba Midget ‘AAA’ Hockey League, playing for the Winnipeg Thrashers. During the 2008 Telus Cup, he emerged as the top scorer of the tournament, signaling his offensive potential. That performance set the stage for his transition into major junior hockey and gave him valuable exposure to high-level competition.
Path to Hockey
Following his standout midget season, Stone joined the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2008–09 campaign. In his rookie year, he recorded 39 points in 56 games and finished tied for 12th in WHL rookie scoring. Although injuries hampered his second WHL season, his talent was widely recognized by NHL scouts.
Stone’s major breakthrough came in his third WHL season, when he tallied 106 points in 71 games, finishing third in league scoring. He was named to the WHL East First All-Star Team and eventually became Brandon’s team captain. In his final junior year, he captured the Brad Hornung Trophy as the WHL’s most sportsmanlike player, capping a strong developmental path that carried him into the professional ranks.
Mark Stone Career
Early Career (2012–2014)
Mark Stone made his NHL debut on April 21, 2012, recording an assist on the winning goal in a playoff game for the Ottawa Senators against the New York Rangers. He then split the 2013–14 season between Ottawa and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, recording four goals and eight points in 19 NHL games. On January 4, 2014, he scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens.
Stone opened the 2014–15 season on Ottawa’s top all-rookie line alongside Mike Hoffman and Curtis Lazar. His strong two-way play and offensive production quickly established him as a top-six forward, and the Senators confirmed in November 2014 that he would remain with the NHL club for the rest of the season. He finished the year tied for the rookie scoring lead with 64 points and led the entire NHL in takeaways with 98.
Ottawa Senators Breakthrough (2014–2019)
On April 23, 2015, Stone was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, ultimately finishing second in voting behind Aaron Ekblad. He signed a three-year contract extension with Ottawa that summer worth an average annual value of $3.5 million. Stone continued to establish himself as one of the league’s elite two-way players, leading the NHL in takeaways for three straight seasons from 2014–15 through 2016–17.
Despite battling injuries and contract uncertainty in his final seasons with Ottawa, Stone remained productive, recording 62 points in 58 games during the 2017–18 campaign. After filing for arbitration, he was awarded a one-year extension, setting the stage for his eventual departure from the franchise.
Vegas Golden Knights Era (2019–Present)
At the 2019 trade deadline, the Ottawa Senators dealt Mark Stone to the Vegas Golden Knights. Shortly after, he signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension, signaling his long-term commitment to the franchise. On April 14, 2019, he recorded his first career hat-trick in a playoff game against the San Jose Sharks, becoming the first Golden Knights player to accomplish the feat in the postseason. That year, he was also named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward.
In advance of the 2020–21 season, Stone was named the first captain in Vegas Golden Knights history. He then guided the team through deep playoff runs, including a Western Conference Final appearance in 2020 and a semifinal berth in 2021. After undergoing back surgery in 2022, he returned for the 2022–23 season and helped lead the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup championship, scoring a hat-trick in the series-clinching fifth game of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. He finished fourth in Conn Smythe Trophy voting as postseason MVP.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mark Stone is widely regarded as one of the NHL’s most complete two-way forwards. His combination of offensive skill, defensive responsibility, and elite hockey IQ has made him a perennial Selke Trophy finalist. He consistently ranked among the league leaders in takeaways, showcasing his ability to disrupt opposing offenses while contributing consistently on the scoresheet.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Stone’s career came in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals, when he scored a hat-trick in the Cup-clinching fifth game against the Florida Panthers. That performance made him only the third NHL player in history to score a hat-trick in a Cup-clinching game, and the first since Babe Dye in 1922. His journey from a sixth-round draft pick to a Stanley Cup-winning captain stands as one of the most remarkable developmental arcs in modern NHL history.
Mark Stone Career Wins
Mark Stone’s career is highlighted by significant team success, individual recognition, and milestones at both the junior and professional levels. His most prominent victory came when he captained the Vegas Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2023, capping a remarkable turnaround from serious back injuries.
NHL Highlights
Stone’s NHL resume includes a Stanley Cup championship with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, when he scored the Cup-clinching hat-trick in Game 5 against the Florida Panthers. He has been a finalist for both the Calder Memorial Trophy and the Frank J. Selke Trophy, and he has led the NHL in takeaways multiple times. At the international level, he won gold with Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, where Canada earned silver.
Junior and Other Performances
During his major junior career with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Stone won the Brad Hornung Trophy as the WHL’s most sportsmanlike player and was named to the WHL East First All-Star Team. He also captured a bronze medal with Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships, finishing as the team’s leading scorer with ten points in the tournament.
Mark Stone Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mark Stone comes from a close-knit Winnipeg family with deep roots in hockey. His parents, Rob and Jackie, supported his early development, and his older brother, Michael, also pursued a professional hockey career. Michael Stone played in the NHL as a defenceman for the Calgary Flames, making the Stone brothers one of the notable sibling pairs in the league.
Personal Life
Mark Stone is married to Hayley, and the couple has one daughter. His brother Michael is married to Jamie, who is the sister of Stone’s wife, making Cody Ceci, who plays for the Los Angeles Kings, his brother-in-law. Stone met his wife during his time with the Ottawa Senators, where both he and Ceci were teammates.
2025 Season Performance
Mark Stone enters the 2025 season as the established captain and offensive leader of the Vegas Golden Knights, coming off the high of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2023. After undergoing a second back surgery during the 2022–23 regular season, he returned to full health and played a central role in the team’s continued competitiveness. As one of the NHL’s premier two-way forwards, he remains a driving force behind the Golden Knights’ pursuit of another championship.
The Golden Knights finished the 2023–24 regular season among the Western Conference’s top teams, with Stone maintaining strong production and serving as a stabilizing presence in the locker room. Heading into 2025, his combination of leadership, defensive responsibility, and clutch scoring makes him one of the most influential captains in the league. His ongoing partnership with the Golden Knights’ coaching staff and core players continues to shape the team’s identity.
Looking ahead, Stone’s primary objectives for the 2025 season include staying healthy, leading Vegas deep into the playoffs, and contending for individual honors such as the Selke Trophy. With his contract running through 2027, he remains the long-term face of the franchise and a central figure in its championship aspirations.