One surprising Golden Knights player who could be traded

Shea Theodore has gotten plenty of talk as a potential trade chip for the Vegas Golden Knights. The defenseman will be in the last year of his current deal next season, with a cap hit of $5.2 million. His name has been thrown around in numerous circles, including a potential Mitch Marner deal. But there's another defenseman who could also be in the trading mix: Brayden McNabb.

Like Theodore, McNabb will also be in the last year of his current deal next season. He has a cap hit of $2.85 million next year. While he does have a modified no-trade clause, he also has a five-team no-trade list. Theodore also has a modified no-trade clause that works the same way.

However, the 33-year-old hasn't gotten as much traction on the trade market as his fellow defenseman. Why? It's partially because McNabb is older, with Theodore being five years younger. There's also more the utility aspect, where his fellow defenseman can do more, including being a power play asset.

Plus, the Vegas Golden Knight would love to make more cap space by getting rid of a bigger contract. Obviously, $5.2 million is bigger than $2.85 million, making Shea Theodore more attractive on the trade market. Therefore, it's easy to see why general manager Kelly McCrimmon would want to shop Theodore instead of his fellow defenseman.

But that shouldn't discount McNabb from being looked at from a trading standpoint. Why could he also be a trading chip for Vegas? There are plenty of reasons why he could be a plausible alternative for the team to move. Here are some reasons why McNabb could also be on the trading block.

Brayden McNabb is underrated

One thing that could make Brayden McNabb attractive to potential suitors is his clutch play. He had a good postseason for the Vegas Golden Knights this year, scoring two goals and three assists in seven games. For an offense that was mostly absent, his contributions helped get Vegas to the deciding game. That included a goal and an assist in the third game, where the Golden Knights were on the doorstep of winning.

While he won't light up the scoreboard regularly, he scores when needed. But his main calling card is blocking shots, which he does well. The defenseman was tied for third in the NHL in that category this season with 207. He can also be a physical player, for he had 149 hits this season. Overall, he's had 1,107 blocked shots and 1,228 hits in his seven seasons with the Golden Knights.

While Shea Theodore is more attractive because of his versatility and age, McNabb is good if teams want a pure defenseman. The Saskatchewan native puts his body on the line every night, displaying a tough facade. He could benefit a team that needs more bite on their blue line.