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Vegas Golden Knights become Stanley Cup contenders after Mark Stone trade

By Griffin Youngs

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 12: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mark Stone (61) during warm-up before National Hockey League action between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators on February 12, 2019, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 12: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mark Stone (61) during warm-up before National Hockey League action between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators on February 12, 2019, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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With just minutes to go before the trade deadline, the Vegas Golden Knights made the biggest move of the deadline, acquiring Mark Stone for a hefty price.

After months and months of speculation, the Mark Stone sweepstakes have finally come to an end mere minutes before the trade deadline could take affect, with the Vegas Golden Knights acquiring the prize of this years trade deadline, but not without paying the price.

Last trade deadline, the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators went down to the wire on negotating a deal that would’ve sent Erik Karlsson to the Vegas Golden Knights, but ultimately couldn’t come to a mutual agreement and abandoned the deal minutes before the deadline. This year however, second time was the charm and they got a deal done.

Along with the trade, the Golden Knights have reportedly extended Mark Stone to contract for eight years with a cap hit of $9.5M with a full No Trade Clause.

After signing a one year, $7,350,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, Mark Stone is already on the verge of having a career year across the board with 28 goals and 34 assists in 59 games this season, earning a massive pay day from the Golden Knights.

Stone was the final piece for the Ottawa Senators to trade before the trade deadline after moving Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel to the Columbus Blue Jackets. All five of the team’s top five scorers from last season are no longer with the team. Stone, Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman, Duchene, Dzingel, and Derick Brassard have all been traded within a single year. This is a full on rebuild in Ottawa. Scorched earth.

Even though the Senators didn’t get a first round pick in the trade, the fact that they were able to acquire Erik Brannstrom makes this trade an incredible haul for Pierre Dorian.

Erik Brannstrom was the top rated prospect in the Vegas Golden Knights system and the 15th overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft. In 41 games with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL, Brannstrom has recorded 7 goals and 21 assists. Projection have him being an elite defenseman in the NHL, and having along with Thomas Chabot makes the Senators future on defense very promising.

As for the Golden Knights, this move makes them once again legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup. After falling behind the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks in the Pacific division, Vegas needed to make something big happen if they wanted to close the talent gap. The addition of Stone gives them the true elite offensive talent that they have been lacking this season, as he is now the Golden Knight’s leading scorer by 19 points.

dark. Next. Does Duchene and Dzingel make the Blue Jackets Stanley Cup contenders?

Stone will almost certainly slot in on the top line next to Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson, hopefully sparking their offense back to where they hoped it would be at the beginning of the season. After losing in the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural season, Vegas would love nothing more than to wash out the taste of defeat and prevail in just their second season.

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