1. Shea Theodore
Shea Theodore is owed $5.2 million next season, which will be the last season of his current contract. It would make sense for the Vegas Golden Knights to trade their defenseman and get a nice haul. Rumors have swirled around where Theodore will end up, with the Golden Knights looking to open up some cap space.
The good news is that the native of Aldergrove, Canada, is 28 years old. He has more than enough trade value to bring in a nice haul. There are younger, cheaper options for the Golden Knights to look at, including Kaeden Korczak. With Korczak getting pennies on the dollar, Kelly McCrimmon might explore a trade to bring in a younger star.
That's not to say the defenseman is useless on the Golden Knights. After all, Theodore notched 37 assists this season. However, he's suffered injuries that kept him out for a chunk of his Golden Knights tenure. That's why he played 47 games this season and 55 games last season.
With Noah Hanifin entering the fold and taking up a chunk of the salary cap ($7.35 million per year starting next season), the Golden Knights will need to make way for their newly acquired defenseman. Of course, Alec Martinez will likely not be returning. However, there could be a case for Theodore being offloaded as well.