Michael Stone steps in, steps up for Calgary Flames in the playoffs
He watched far more games than he played this season, but Flames defenceman Michael Stone came out of the press box to make an impact in the playoffs for Calgary.
Calgary was one of the healthier NHL teams in 2021-22 and Stone, the No. 7 defenceman on the depth chart, was rarely activated to fill in on the back end.
The 31-year-old from Winnipeg appeared in just 11 regular-season games and sat the first three of Calgary's first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars.
Flames head coach Darryl Sutter opting to go with seven defencemen and 11 forwards in Game 4, instead of six and 12, was Stone's opening.
The six-foot-three, 210-pound defenceman put a combined 17 shots on net and contributed a goal and two assists over the next four games as Calgary closed out the series in seven.
Stone averaging just under 15 minutes a game, including two minutes per game of power-play time, eased the workload of his teammates.
He logged 21:30 in Game 7 when Chris Tanev was injured.
"I come to work every day and whatever is needed from me, I'm hopefully there to provide that,'' Stone said. "I was given an opportunity to play in the last series and I just wanted to make the most of that.''
Stone has a sense of occasion. His seventh game of the regular season April 6 was his career 500th. Stone's game-winner was his first goal of the season and he also had an assist in a 4-2 win over Anaheim.
He's extended his career by being ready to make an impact in the few opportunities and limited minutes he gets.
"I think it's probably the hardest role to have on the team,'' Flames forward Milan Lucic said. "When Stoney came in the lineup, it gave us an energy boost and he provided us with that.
"He had eight shots in his first game and was a difference-maker the whole series every time he came in.
"He has a lot of respect from us as a group, and the work and time he's put in to keep himself ready. When he's come in, he's always provided us with energy and quality minutes. We trust in him and know he's going to continue being a great player for us.''
Acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in a 2017 trade, Stone was limited to 14 games in 2018-19 because of a blood clot in his arm.
Calgary bought out the last year of his contract in August of 2019, but then resigned him a month later to the league minimum when Juuso Valimaki suffered a long-term knee injury.
"The first conversation was a little unique. 'Hi Mike, remember me?''' Flames general manager Brad Treliving said at that time.
Stone, who spent his major junior career with the Calgary Hitmen, agreed to return to the Flames because he didn't want to uproot his young family to play elsewhere.
He continued to sign for the league minimum with the Flames to play mostly an understudy role.
Stone was injured and didn't play when Calgary lost out in the first round in 2019.
He didn't appear in any playoff games in Edmonton's playoff bubble two years ago, so Stone's getting his first playoff reps since 2017.
He acknowledges his career has taken an interesting path.
"I would say it's probably a unique one that not many would be taking,'' Stone said. ``I don't think anybody, myself included, stopped believing that I could be a difference. It just took awhile.''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.