Shea Theodore has been known for many things with the Vegas Golden Knights. He's known as an Original Misfit, yet he's also one of the more underappreciated Golden Knights around. However, Bruce Cassidy hasn't utilized him properly in one particular area: the shootout.
Theodore hasn't been one of the three main shooters for any of the three shootouts this season. That's despite having a career shootout percentage of 42.9% after Tuesday's big win against the Chicago Blackhawks. That included the ol' reliable backhander to give the Golden Knights their first shootout win of the season.
Nifty backhander from Shea Theodore for the shootout winner ✅ pic.twitter.com/yJ6jyby4hg
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 3, 2025
Ironically enough, Mitch Marner, the man who bumped Theodore off, didn't score in the shootout. But at least Dorofeyev added a much-needed goal to snap the Golden Knights from their extra-hockey woes.
But let's turn our attention to the absolute crime of not seeing Theodore in the main shootout rotation. After all, he does deserve serious consideration with a stellar career shootout percentage. If you want further proof, look at where the four players stand in the shootout, including the main rotation of Eichel, Marner, and Dorofeyev (stats courtesy of StatMuse).
Player | Career Shootout Shooting Percentage |
|---|---|
Shea Theodore | 42.9% |
Mitch Marner | 30.6% |
Jack Eichel | 30.2% |
Pavel Dorofeyev | 27.3% |
That should warrant a serious discussion about why he's not properly being utilized during the shootout. Is the backhand move predictable at times? Maybe. However, the end result speaks for itself, making him reliable.
Why Bruce Cassidy should insert Shea Theodore into his main shootout rotation for the rest of the 2025-26 season
When you go into the shootout, you want to put your best players out on the ice. That means going with guys who've scored 100% in the shootout in three separate seasons. That applies to ol' Theodore here, who's made a living for being an underrated shootout merchant.
What's more is that there's been only one time where one of the three players (Marner, Eichel, and Dorofeyev) has achieved 100% goals in a season. That would be Marner, who did this in 2023-24. Therefore, you want to put your best men on the ice for this situation (i.e., Theodore).
If fans want to examine the overall structure of the overtime woes, it can be attributed to a few factors. One can say that the team is older and they lose steam faster than in prior years. One can also say that younger, faster teams utilize the extra space on the ice better, beating Vegas on the rush. These statements have some merit.
However, one can't overlook Bruce Cassidy not using his best (arguably) player in the shootout. Neither the statistics nor the reliable backhand lie in this scenario. In turn, it leaves two points on the board.
Of course, the Golden Knights have also been victims of various circumstances here as well. That includes a video review on Jack Eichel's shot and the lack of goaltending for the shootout. Still, you want your best shooter in these scenarios to put your opponents on their heels.
That's why it's high time that Cassidy considers shaking things up during the shootout. The head coach isn't one to shy away from shaking up his lineups when things aren't working well. Why not go with an ol' Misfit during the shootout and bet on the odds? After all, we're in Vegas.