Vegas Golden Knights: Three Names That Could Get Moved at the Deadline
By Evan Mead
Shea Theodore
Shea Theodore has had a rough start through the first nine games of the season. After getting traded for by the Vegas Golden Knights shortly after the expansion draft, Theodore has found quite a bit of success. However, there is one part to Theodore’s game that has been holding him back thus far in his career.
Theodore came into the league with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2015-16 season. During the stretch of 19 games he played in, he was able to score three goals and put up five assists, for eight total points. As a defenseman, that’s considered very admirable. However, what he contributes in offensive production, he’s lacks defensively.
When you take a close look at that statement you realize that Theodore is going to be asked to play a defensive minded role, but has never been much of a defenseman. In fact, he’s actually been the opposite throughout his career.
He’s never really been considered much of a stay-at-home defenseman, but instead, is considered an offensive defenseman. The stats back that up.
Since getting traded to the Knights, Theodore has played in a total of 273 games in which he has 41 goals and 116 assists for 157 total points. Then you look at the defensive statistics. In those 273 games he has 99 blocks, 286 hits, and 194 takeaways.
On paper and to the eye, I’m sure that looks very good. However, when you look at the hits, he is only averaging one hit per game as a defenseman. Not to mention the fact that he’s got only 40 less total points than he does takeaways.
However, because of his offensive production and the fact he is still very young, his trade value is probably still fairly respectable around the league and could help be part of a package to bring in either a goal scorer for the power play or a stay-at-home defenseman to help ease the pressure on Lehner.