By most accounts, the Senators profile as a bad team heading into 2018-19. However, someone's going to have to score goals in Ottawa. That someone is likely Stone, one of just three Senators left on the roster who lit the lamp at least 20 times in 2017-18. With Mike Hoffman now in Florida, Stone figures to get even more opportunities to score and produce offensively. Whether he can maintain his assist numbers is another matter. He posted a career-high 42 helpers last season, but having Hoffman around helped make that possible. Stone will need to develop the same chemistry with Matt Duchene if he hopes to keep those numbers up and post another 60-point season. Assuming he's recovered from a leg injury, Stone profiles as a mid-round selection in most formats.
Stone enjoyed another solid campaign in 2016-17, notching 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 71 games, but his owners may have been slightly disappointed with that performance, as he wasn't able to surpass the 60-point threshold for a third consecutive season. However, he also missed 11 contests to injury, so if he’s able to stay healthy in 2017-18, he should be able to return to form as a 60-plus-point scorer. The 2010 sixth-round pick will reprise his role as a top-six forward for the Senators next season, and he'll also return as a member of Ottawa’s top power-play unit, a role that should provide him with plenty of opportunity to succeed offensively. If he’s able to avoid major injury this season, Stone will once again be a rock-solid and relatively risk-free addition to any fantasy roster.
Having earned his spot on the top line, Stone wasn’t able to surpass his Calder Trophy-nominated rookie season, but still had an excellent campaign despite it ending prematurely due to an upper-body injury. He potted 23 goals, assisted on 38 and maintained an excellent 15.2 shooting percentage (16.6 last year), a reflection of his sniping ability. The 24-year-old has been highly efficient and figures to be a consistent scorer for years to come, overcoming his lack of pedigree as a 2010 sixth-round pick. With Kyle Turris set to return from his ankle injury, Stone will have the Sens' top center back, and the two could be joined by Mike Hoffman on the left wing to form a powerful trio. It also certainly doesn’t hurt that the 60-point man skates next to Erik Karlsson on the man advantage, and new coach Guy Boucher brings special-teams expertise that could take things to another level. Stone is in line for another monster campaign, making him a safe and rewarding draft-day selection.
Stone has come to dominate every level he's played at -- from his two 100-point seasons in junior to his 41 points in 37 AHL games two years ago -- so last year's emergence that earned him a Calder Trophy nomination shouldn't have come as a total surprise to the hockey community. But even those who felt optimistic about the former sixth-round pick couldn't have seen last season's stunning 26-goal, 64-point bust out on the horizon, as Stone eventually seized top-line duties at right wing away from Bobby Ryan. After scoring on a very high 16.6 percent of his shots last year, Stone's probably due for a bit of regression in that category, but he's still perched atop the depth chart alongside Kyle Turris, which is a formula for plenty more fantasy productivity as he enters his age-23 campaign. He may not have elite speed, but Stone's got hockey smarts in spades, and that often counts for more.
Stone recorded four goals and four assists in 19 games with the Senators last season, and will likely be a player on the fringe of the NHL roster once again in 2014-15. He put up more than a point-per-game in the AHL last year, so there's a chance he could find his stride in the NHL when he gets an opportunity, but there's no reason to pick him up until he proves he has taken that next step.
Stone racked up 15 goals and 23 assists in 54 games with Binghamton (AHL) last season but failed to earn a single point during four games of NHL play last season. Clearly, the Senators are interested in using him in the future and this could be the year he claims a spot for himself on the big club. If he does consistently get into the lineup, he'll likely play a mostly depth role where he'll have limited fantasy value.
Stone had a breakout year as a junior in 2011-12, leading Canada's U20 World Junior Champtionship team in scoring with seven goals and three assists in six games. Picked in the 6th round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Stone has improved his stock by leaps and bounds, especially his skating which was thought of as well-below average when he was first drafted. He's worked hard on improving his skating over the last few years working with Ottawa's training staff during the offseason. While he's considered a bit of a longshot to make the big club out of training camp this season, he posseses excellent hockey sense, soft hands, and a big body, allowing him to get into open spaces to fire home goals or set up his linemates with nice passes. Stone will either play in the AHL or NHL this year as he's no longer eligible for junior. He'd be an excellent pick in deep keeper leagues and has already played one NHL game, suiting up in Game 5 of the Senators-Rangers opening round playoff series this past spring. In that game, Stone set up Jason Spezza for the game-winning goal with a nice pass between the legs of a Rangers defender, a clear indicator of his skill and vision.
Stone, selected by Ottawa in the 6th round (178th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, turned quite a few heads last season as he potted 37 goals and added 67 assists for the Brandon Wheat Kings. The 6'3", 200-pound power forward has great skills with the puck, but will need to improve his skating, something he's already admitted needs work. Stone will play his last year in the WHL in 2011-12 before making the jump to the pros in 2012-13. He also has a good shot at making Canada's U-20 World Junior Hockey squad this year which bodes well for his future as a pro.
