Golden Knights' Stone: I always knew Tkachuk would lead Senators

Vegas Golden Knights veteran Mark Stone never wore the "C" for the Ottawa Senators, but he believes newly minted captain Brady Tkachuk is the perfect fit for the honor.

"You could tell from Day 1 that he was the guy, you know? When I was there kind of leading the charge, he was my right-hand man - when he was 19," Stone said during the weekend's All-Star festivities, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "The way he plays speaks for itself. He brings you into the fight every night."

The pair's tenures in Ottawa overlapped during Tkachuk's rookie season in 2018-19 before the Senators sent Stone to the Golden Knights at the 2019 trade deadline.

Tkachuk even lived with Stone that season and rented the property from the 29-year-old after Stone's move to the desert.

"I loved (our time together) and still have that relationship to this day. Look forward to keeping that relationship," Stone said. "Maybe someday down the road we'll meet up again and play."

The Golden Knights captain reflected on his stint in Ottawa, where he put up 311 points in 366 games.

"I loved my time there. Loved playing. Loved going on those playoff runs," he said. "It's kind of disappointing the way everything went down. You know, I only know a couple guys left there."

Stone and Tkachuk were able to catch up during All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. Their respective squads will meet again March 6. The Golden Knights bested the Senators 5-1 in their first clash earlier this season.

Vegas currently sits atop the Pacific Division, while Ottawa is in seventh place in the Atlantic.

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