Ottawa Senators: Mark Stone 2017-2018 Season Preview

Today for our Ottawa Senators player previews we shift to the first forward line of the Ottawa Senators. A player who has skyrocketed into stardom in just three short years, Mark Stone.

Overall, throughout their history the Ottawa Senators have been fairly successful in drafting and developing their own talent. Whether it be the first or the sixth round the Sens have found a way to find quality players. This was the case with Mark Stone who as a fifth round draft pick in 2010 skyrocketed of the depth charts of the Ottawa Senators.

After being drafted Stone played out his remaining years of junior eligibility in the WHL where he honed his offensive ability and became a junior star. In 2012 he played his first pro game and bounced between the NHL and the AHL until 2014. It was then in 2014-2015 that Stone would become a full-time member of the Ottawa Senators.

In the three seasons since Stone became a full-time NHL player he has blossomed into one of the best two-way forwards in the league. Not only has he been able to consistently put up 60 plus points, he has been a fantastic defensive player. He has been at or near the top of the NHL in takeaways the entirety of his career.

This past season Stone only scored 54 points but missed 11 games due to injury. In the playoffs he contributed 8 points in 19 games while still nursing an injury. His point totals most likely dipped as a result of an injury. However, despite injury he was still amongst the best defensive players for the Ottawa Senators.

Next: Ottawa Senators: Derick Brassard 2017-2018 Season Preview

Going into next season Stone can be expected to be among the most consistent players for the Ottawa Senators. Even during 2015-2016 when the Sens missed the playoffs, Stone was one of very few consistent performers for the Sens. Expect Stone to deliver at his usual elite level.