Mark Stone’s injury still a mystery; Trio returns to practice

Peter DeBoer wasn’t trying to be vague after Monday’s practice at City National Arena. But the Vegas Golden Knights coach said he didn’t have an update on Mark Stone and was waiting to hear from the doctors regarding the captain’s injury and his status going forward.

“”He was seeing the doctor today,” DeBoer said of the captain, who was injured Thursday during the second period of the Golden Knights’ 6-2 lost the Los Angeles Kings and did not return. Stone saw a doctor Saturday and DeBoer said at the time the forward was “day-to-day.”

That status was not repeated Monday. When asked if he was optimistic about Stone being able to return to the lineup soon, DeBoer said: “I’m not optimistic or pessimistic at this point. I’m nowhere right now.. I’m just waiting for information.”

That wasn’t exactly a rosy picture the coach was painting. And with Max Pacioretty confirmed out for the next six weeks with a broken foot, the Golden Knights are going to have to find a way to win games without their two leading scorers from last season. Pacioretty already had two goals on opening night last Tuesday and Stone had three assists.

There was some positive news as Nicolas Roy, William Carrier and Brett Howden all practiced. Roy was in a non-contact jersey but he took part in all the drills.

We talked about the timing of having the time off between games as an opportunity to get some guys back. Carrier and Howden were out there. Roy was in a non-contact jersey, but he did everything. So I’m hopeful they’ll feel good tomorrow and take another step and possibly be ready for Wednesday.

“We need them. You start testing the depth of the organization if we don’t start getting some of these guys back.”

DeBoer said the Knights are going to have to find ways to compete and win low-scoring games, beginning Wednesday when Vegas hosts the St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena.

“We have to tighten things up,” he said. “We’ve prided ourselves on being a hard team to play against, particularly defensively, the last couple of years. We have to get back to that.

“I don’t think any of us liked our game against L.A. We were soft and that’s probably the best word for it. We’ve got to get stiffer defensively, regardless if those guys are in the lineup or not. But obviously with that scoring out of the lineup, it’s going to be even more important.”

DeBoer said Peyton Krebs remains in the mix whether or not Roy, Carrier and Howden are available Wednesday.

“He probably would’ve been at practice (Monday) but when you look at his last week, he played in our opener Tuesday, he played Thursday, then Friday and Sunday with Henderson, it didn’t make any sense to have him practice again today,” DeBoer said of Krebs, who had five points in two games with the Silver Knights. But he’s the first name, based on camp, the way handled going back down there for the weekend. All those things.”