Remember when the endless speculations about the Vegas Golden Knights trading Shea Theodore ran wild like Hulk Hogan? Trade rumors were rampant all over the internet (Hi! It's me. I'm the problem), with fans wondering what Kelly McCrimmon would do with the defenseman. It turns out that Thursday provided an idea of what the general manager thought about those rumors *cue the sarcasm*.
Theodore signed a seven-year, $51.975 million deal to stay in Las Vegas. He's on track to become the longest-tenured "Original Misfit," with his contract expiring after the 2031-32 season. It carries an AAV of $7,425,000, which surprised plenty of fans. Still, McCrimmon gets his defenseman locked up for the long haul, leaving Golden Knights fans satisfied.
The "Misfit" has earned his contract with the Golden Knights. The franchise leader in assists (229) already has six in six games in 2024-25. He's emerged as one of the better puck-moving defensemen in the NHL, with half of those assists coming on the power play. It's no wonder they've drastically improved the unit (aside from having Mark Stone and Tomas Hertl as their big bodies).
The new deal has fans excited for what the future holds. But there are other benefits to having the "Misfit" stick around. Why should you be excited about the star defenseman making Las Vegas his home for seven more years? Here are three reasons Theodore will work out for the Vegas Golden Knights during his tenure.
Shea Theodore is a great puck-moving defenseman when healthy
As mentioned earlier, Shea Theodore is the all-time leader in assists for the Golden Knights. He surpassed Jonathan Marchessault during the season opener against the Colorado Avalanche, scoring three assists. It takes years of honing that craft to earn a special spot with the Golden Knights.
For Theodore, he's made his money off acting as a complimentary piece on the attack. The 29-year-old can generate rebounds with his shots and set up prime scoring opportunities for his teammates. He gets his shots through and can pass his way out of trouble.
These skills come through while on the power play, where he runs the unit well. Here, the rebounds will give his teammates chances to feast, whether it's Tomas Hertl or Mark Stone. It's why he has three power play assists to start the season, making him valuable to the group.
Having a player who feeds the players crashing the net is an ingenious play. It puts the goaltender on his heels, leaving a mad scramble for the puck in front of the net. Fans can expect more of this throughout the years, where he becomes the longest-tenured player in franchise history.