Vegas Golden Knights: Three Names That Could Get Moved at the Deadline
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.
Alex Tuch
Alex Tuch is going to be one the hardest guys to let go off at the trade deadline. That is, if they decide to do so. Given how young he is, and the fact he could very well become a star in the league in just a year or two, it’s not going to be easy to let him go.
When it comes to making moves at the trade deadline, there is a lot that needs to be talked about within the organization. It can take days, weeks or even a month to determine what you want to do at the trade deadline. Here are some questions you have to ask though.
First, you have to determine your team’s current status. For example, if you are the Vegas Golden Knights, and knowing your current situation, you have to determine what it means for your organization if something were to happen to any of those star players to keep them out long-term.
Next, Once you determine the status of your organization, you then have to decide if your going to be looking to sell, or try bringing in more talent. If you are going to sell, you’re likely going to selling out some of the high valued players in order to obtain prospects or high-end draft picks. In contrast, if you go into the trade deadline as a buyer, you’re going to be getting rid of your picks and prospects in order to obtain high-value, superstar, players.
Looking at the history of the Vegas Golden Knights, and the current rumors going around, we’ll assume that they are going into the trade deadline as a buyer.
After the fact, you then have to figure out what players are going to be able to count as the main trade piece. That brings us to where we are now.
It’s not that the Knights are going to be just giving Alex Tuch away as much as he holds the value of a cornerstone trade piece. Tuch holds a lot of value given his budding potential, and can help keep some of the more important players on the roster.
Jonathan Marchessault
This one here, I expect people to disagree on. However, before you get to far down the hatred path, at least hear out my reasoning.
Jonathan Marchessault has become on of my personal favorite Knight players, but the thing that continuously holds me back is the value. Marchessault has succeed when it mattered in multiple games this season, but he’s also mad multiple games where he just didn’t do anything on the ice it felt like. Yesterday, for example. When Jonathan Marchessault is on, he is one of the best players on the ice. But when you take a look when he is off, well, he’s unrecognizable.
Marchessault, being a second-line player, should be performing much better than he has been. The reason I stated his name as a possible trade piece though has to do with his value.
He is currently making $5,000,000 per year with the Knights, and quite frankly, I don’t think he is worth that. Given the need the Knights have to improve their offense, wrapping five million dollars to a player who is inconsistent isn’t good management.
That’s personally why I could see Marchessault being a name that get’s moved at the trade deadline this season.
Conclusion
The Vegas Knights need to do something in order to help keep them going. It’s clear that injuries have depleted their team, but with nobody stepping up on the ice there needs to be some moves made.