"It's been a while," Stephenson said Sunday. "I think that's kind of what feels different about it. It's just been so long."
And a lot has changed for Stephenson since he was traded to Vegas on Dec. 2, 2019 for a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. He left as a speedy depth forward who helped Washington win the Stanley Cup in 2018 playing mostly on the fourth line and the penalty kill. He returns as a top-six forward who leads the Golden Knights with an NHL career-high 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 40 games this season.
"Just coming to (Vegas), it was just kind of a clean slate, just kind of doing what I know what to do and being myself," Stephenson said Sunday. "It just kind of was a breath of fresh air."
Stephenson was quick to point out, "It wasn't like Washington was kind of burying me or anything like that." But with the Capitals, the third-round pick (No. 77) in the 2012 NHL Draft was stuck on their center depth chart behind Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nicklas Backstrom and Lars Eller. Shifting to wing didn't get him much higher in the lineup with Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie and Jakub Vrana (since traded to the Detroit Red Wings) ahead of him.
After Stephenson was traded to the Golden Knights, he soon became the center on the top line with players such as Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty.
"Just kind of the opportunity and kind of the role the coaches put me in when I first got there was a little nerve-wracking," Stephenson said. "I've never been in that situation at the NHL level, playing against other teams' top lines and stuff like or with the best players. So that was obviously something that was different. But I think just ever since I got to Vegas it's been nothing but great things with the group that we have."
Golden Knights president of hockey operations George McPhee knew Stephenson from when the Capitals drafted him during his tenure as Washington general manager before being fired in 2014. When Peter DeBoer replaced Gerard Gallant as Vegas coach Jan. 15, 2020, it didn't take him long to see Stephenson had potential to do more.
New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who guided the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018, also told DeBoer that Stephenson was a high scoring forward growing up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Stephenson scored 136 points (66 goals, 70 assists) in 2007-08 playing for the Saskatoon Outlaws AA under-15 team in 2007-08.
"I remember [Trotz] telling me that Chandler was like (Wayne) Gretzky in minor hockey growing up there," DeBoer said. "So I think he's always had that skill. Sometimes it just takes longer for guys to find it at this level. But it was pretty recognizable as soon as you get on the ice with him in practice."
After scoring four points (three goals, one assist) in 24 games with the Capitals in 2019-20 before the trade, Stephenson scored 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 41 games through the remainder of the season with the Golden Knights. He scored 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 51 games last season and the 27-year-old has taken another step this season.
"Just getting that opportunity with Vegas and, obviously, kind of growing my game and that confidence and everything like that has been really good," Stephenson said. "It's something that being with Stone and [Pacioretty] builds confidence and chemistry with those guys, so I think that it's just been a great kind of opportunity in kind of what Vegas saw."
