Senators' Pierre Dorion says he wanted to keep Mark Stone long-term but was overruled

In a recent interview, Pierre Dorion said that he wanted to keep Mark Stone long-term and was ready to sign him to an eight-year contract extension, but then-owner Eugene Melnyk denied him.

Stone was then traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on the NHL's deadline in February 2019 for a package which included 2017 first round pick Erik Brannstrom.

The Winnipeg native spent parts of the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators and helped them reach the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016-17 season. His best season as a Senator came in 2014-15 when he recorded 64 points in 80 games.

It's interesting to think where the Senators would be right now if they decided to keep Mark Stone. It's probably safe to say that both sides are happy with the direction their respective teams are going in, with Vegas being a Stanley Cup contender and Ottawa becoming a playoff contending team.