Chandler Stephenson continues to impress with Golden Knights

MONTREAL — The theme of Chandler Stephenson’s brief time in a Golden Knights uniform has been taking advantage of his opportunity.

With center William Karlsson sidelined, Stephenson is being handed an even larger role.

The speedy forward stepped into Karlsson’s spot on the top line and continues to impress since being acquired from Washington last month.

“Obviously you never want to see your top center go down. He’s a huge part of the team and our success,” Stephenson said after practice Friday at Bell Centre. “To have that trust from the coaching staff, it makes life easy. It makes you feel really comfortable. The group, as well, has been awesome. It’s been a pretty smooth and easy transition with everybody and how everything’s been going.”

Karlsson sustained an upper-body injury during Tuesday’s loss at Buffalo and is listed as week to week. He remained with the team on the road trip rather than returning to Las Vegas, and new coach Peter DeBoer provided an optimistic prognosis for Karlsson’s return.

“He’ll miss the entire road trip and then we’ve got the break (until Jan. 30). I would think he’d be real close after that,” DeBoer said. “It’s an opportunity for somebody else. I thought Stephenson went in and did a real good job.”

Stephenson, 25, skated almost exclusively on the third or fourth line during his two full seasons with the Capitals and was unable to crack one of the NHL’s top-six forward groups unless there was an injury or other circumstance that created a temporary opening.

After landing with the Knights on Dec. 2 for a 2021 fifth-round pick, former Knights coach Gerard Gallant used Stephenson up and down the lineup.

He centered the second line between leading scorers Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone and also saw time at left wing on the first line when Jonathan Marchessault missed the first five games of 2020 with a lower-body injury.

“He fits really well. He plays a fast game. He’s super skilled,” Marchessault said. “He’s a guy who takes a lot of pride playing well defensively, as well. That’s a hell of an addition. We go and get a guy on our top nine like that for not much.”

Stephenson logged his second game-winning goal in the past six games Thursday against Ottawa when he intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and scored on a short-handed breakaway in the third period.

Entering Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, Stephenson has six goals and 12 points with the Knights, which matches his previous career high for goals in only 21 games.

Overall, he has nine goals and 16 points in 45 games with the Knights and Capitals, two points shy of his career best set in 2017-18 when he helped Washington raise the Stanley Cup.

And after an initial period of adjustment, Stephenson also has started to show more of his personality inside the locker room.

”He’s definitely more of a quieter guy to begin with, but he’s definitely a little bit more comfortable now,” said defenseman Brayden McNabb, who works out with Stephenson in the summer in their native Saskatchewan. “He’s added that element of speed, and he’s very good defensively. He’s a winner, and he understands the game and how to play it the right way.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.