I was surprised he played after the Trouba hit at all. That hit looked like the career ending kind, where Marc Savard got hit in Boston. Im pretty sure thats affecting his play. People forget that he essentially is our offence in their zone, our forecheck on his line depends on him outsmarting the other team and getting a takeaway. Without that aspect he's just a slow player. If he loses his smarts he loses his value. To expose him is beyond silly when you think of his offensive production and someone like Dzingels ceiling. The real issue with this team is where is Hoffman.
Trying to shelter Stone's complete lack of anything positive in his play by pointing at Hoffman or any other player is a little rich!!!
IMO Stone isn't injured physically, he just isn't strong enough mentally.
Fact is Stone doesn't seem to be able to put Trouba's hit behind him and his play since he returned has been woeful.
IMO the problems with this team aren't the players, the problems started with Dorion's over the top nonsense about why can't this team win now?
Well most knowledgeable hockey people could have given a long list of why not now.
The list could have started with the idea of having Brassard and Turris as the top two centers, two slow footed wingers in Stone and Ryan, counting on MacArthur to be a key top six player and thinking the D was good enough to be a contender.
Simple fact is had Tampa not suffered all the injuries the Sens would likely have lost the first round to the Lightning.
So while the team squeaked past an AHL defence in Boston, the boat has sprung a leak against the NYR simply because all the holes are being exposed.
Anyone expecting EK to do more than he has been to right this sinking ship are just fooling themselves.
The concept of Methot protecting EK has been exposed for what it is, nonsense. Fact is EK makes Methot look acceptable on the first pairing when he really isn't.
This franchise has shown a lack of patience with its young players and Dorion has taken this to a new level.
So to blame any individual player for what has happened in NY is scapegoating IMO.
This mess lies with Dorion and when the season closes out next Tuesday I fully expect him to say it was a successful year, even though most people will think his team needs a complete overhaul.