Mark Stone

[Alfie11]

To me, Mark Stone is the most interesting player in the Senators organization. We saw him shine for Canada at the WJC. We saw him tear up the WHL after he was drafted. And we saw him continue his great hockey for Binghamton when he became of age. Despite all of that, I don't think anyone would have predicted Mark Stone having the rookie season he just did. He finished the season with 26 goals, 64 points and a +21 rating. He also had 6 game winning goals. Even more impressive, was when he came alive. Down the second half of the season, he took the Sens on his back and overcame the biggest point deficit to make the playoffs in NHL history. Although you could argue Hammond was unbelievable and Karlsson was great, it really was Mark Stone, the rookie 6th round pick from 2010, who is the reason the Sens even qualified.

Silver Seven Sens posted an article about why Mark Stone should win the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. During the first half of the season, the 2014 half, Stone did not get a ton of ice time. We all know Paul McLean had odd choices while rolling out ice time, but he put him with Mike Hoffman and Curtis Lazar on the fourth line and they clicked pretty well. Stone played an average of 15:09 per night, and put up 17 points in 34 games. Thats actually pretty good for a rookie playing the minutes he was. When Cameron took over, things changed. For the 2015 half of the season, Stone averaged 18:24 per night and put up 47 points in 46 games - remarkable for a rookie. He also had 98 takeaways which put him 1st in the league in that category - the first time a rookie has ever lead the league in takeaways.

Stone seemed to define the word 'clutch'. He seemed to have ice in his veins. I went back and found all of his goals from the 2014/15 season to get a background - when they were scored in the game and what the score was.

Scored with ~11 minutes left in the 3rd, gives the Sens a 2-1 lead (@TBL)
Scored ~3 minutes into the game, gives the Sens a 1-0 lead (vs CHI)
Scored with ~30 seconds left in the 1st, ties the game 1-1 (@BOS)
Scored ~4 minutes into the 2nd, gives the Sens a 3-2 lead (vs TOR)
Scored with ~11 minutes left in the 3rd, ties the game 3-3 (@ VAN)
Scored with ~18 minutes left in the 3rd, ties the game 2-2 (vs LA)
Scored with ~6 minutes left in the 2nd, pulls the Sens within one (@ BUF)
Scored ~8 minutes into the 1st, gives the Sens a 2-0 lead (vs ANA)
Scored ~7 minutes into the 2nd, gives the Sens a 2-1 lead (vs TBL)
Scored ~4 minutes into the 2nd, pulls the Sens within one (@ COL)
Scored a minute into the 3rd, gives the Sens a 2-1 lead (vs CAR)
Scored with ~1 minute left in the 2nd, gives the Sens a 3-1 lead (vs ARI)
Scored with ~4 minutes left in the game, pulls the Sens within one (vs PIT)
Scored with ~11 minutes left in the game, gives the Sens a 3-1 lead (vs MTL)
Scored ~4 minutes into the 3rd, ties the game 2-2 (@SJ)
Scored ~3 minutes into the 3rd, gives the Sens a 3-2 lead (vs BUF)
Scored ~1 minute into the 3rd, gives the Sens a 3-2 lead (@ MTL)
Scored in OT, gives the Sens a 2-1 win (vs CAR)
Scored ~4 minutes into the 2nd, gives the Sens a 1-0 lead (@TOR)
Scored ~5 minutes into the 1st, gives the Sens a 1-0 lead (vs TBL)
Scored ~3 minutes into the 1st, gives the Sens a 1-0 lead (vs WSH)
Scored ~1 minute into the 3rd, ties the game 2-2 (@ TOR)
Scored ~30 seconds into the 3rd, pulls the Sens within one (vs PIT)
Scored in OT, gives the Sens a 4-3 win (vs PIT)
Scored ~6 minutes into the 1st, gives the Sens a 1-0 lead (@ PHI)
Scored with ~8 minutes left in the game, gives the Sens a 3-1 lead (@PHI)

Right away you notice that most of Stone's goals come when the game is tied, or the Sens are down by one goal. His favourite teams to score goals/points against....

Goals:

Pittsburgh (3), Tampa (3), Toronto (3)

Points:

Toronto (6), Montreal (5), Buffalo (5), Boston (5)

[Josh]

Wow, great analysis Brandon. Stone is definitely an interesting piece and has been as clutch as they come. I hope he doesn't have a sophomore slump, but I won't be too worried if he does either. I'm still skeptical; I don't really expect him to develop into the superstar that all indications this season are pointing towards him becoming, bit will of course he happy if he does. Who would have guessed that he would have been a superior RW to Bobby Ryan this season?!

[matchesmalone]

Agreed with Josh. Impressive work Alfie. And I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen such a clutch regular season, especially from a rookie.

The thing that blows me away about Stone is his intelligence, creativity and vision. Like Josh, I'm still not 100% sold on Stone developing into a true superstar, but in those three categories at least, he's among the top two or three percent in the league.

[Matt the Aussie]

I've said this before, but his vision reminds me of another RW we had at this club, also drafted in the 6th round...

I know I shouldn't expect the world of Stone next year but it's hard not to be excited about his progression. That final goal he scored vs. Philly in the regular season - still gives me goose bumps. I think Voracek is STILL looking for that puck?

[Alfie11]

His development will be interesting. He's young and in his rookie year he put up 64 points and was very good defensively. If he improves (at all, really) he'll pretty much be a star. But as I pointed out in the original post, he didn't really come out of nowhere. He was excellent in juniors, the World Juniors, the AHL and now is continuing the trend. Even this season ... he put up solid rookie numbers, and when given ice time and linemates, he played amazing. It didn't come out of nowhere.

I know I shouldn't expect the world of Stone next year but it's hard not to be excited about his progression. That final goal he scored vs. Philly in the regular season - still gives me goose bumps. I think Voracek is STILL looking for that puck?

Yeah, that was awesome. It was classic Mark Stone ... strip the puck away and score a huge goal. Another one like that (but an assist) was against Colorado in the first home game. He could have lined Iginla up, but instead stripped the puck, made a play and that was the game-winner. Also, the final home game against Pittsburgh ... that was special. He put the team on his back for that comeback. I think when he got the puck on his stick there in overtime, every Sens fan knew that was going in.

If you look at the final seconds when Ottawa clinched a playoff spot, TSN focused on Stone instead of anyone else. That's extremely telling to me. You could have put it on Hammond, Karlsson ... even Ryan.