What should the Vegas Golden Knights do with Shea Theodore?
Shea Theodore is an unrestricted free agent after this season. Should the Vegas Golden Knights run it back with the defenseman?
Shea Theodore has had an interesting offseason filled with trade rumors and potentially leaving. He's been linked in countless scenarios involving Mitch Marner and other prominent names. The defenseman has maintained peace during such tumultuous times, with the Vegas Golden Knights exploring their options. But there are some reasons why that's the case.
First, he's in the last season of his current contract. The Canadian hockey star carries a cap hit of $5.2 million, which would create some salary cap space for the Golden Knights. He's also expected to fetch a sizable deal, with an AAV estimated at around $8 million next offseason. It's enough to make fans consider sending the "Golden Misfit" elsewhere, specifically with the cap crunch.
Currently, Vegas sits at roughly $2.6 million in cap space (LTIR included), which would give them some relief heading into the season. However, Kelly McCrimmon hasn't shied away from making cost-cutting moves, with moves such as Reilly Smith and Marc-Andre Fleury being shining examples. Therefore, it would make sense for the Golden Knights to move Theodore's contract and earn some draft picks.
At least, it sounds good on the surface. There are plenty of reasons why Vegas should hold onto their premier defenseman for another season. For one, he makes the power play much better. He runs the offense on the man advantage, staying ahead of his opponents. That led to 74 career power play assists with the Golden Knights, a franchise record.
But what other aspects make Theodore a lucrative asset to Vegas's plans? What about the other end of the spectrum, where the Golden Knights can send him elsewhere? It's time to settle the debate once and for all and determine why the star defenseman should stay or go.
The case for the Vegas Golden Knights trading Shea Theodore
Shipping that $5.2 million cap hit elsewhere looks more plausible when a team has a surplus of blue-liners. That's the case with the Golden Knights, who employ seven defensemen on their current roster. All seven can be regular starters minimum for Vegas, possessing strong forechecking skills.
That includes players like Brayden McNabb and Nic Hague, who've made a living off blocking shots and playing physical. Some players mix both elements into their game (i.e. Hague, who had 111 blocked shots and 153 hits last season). Still, there's little to no room for seven defensemen when there are six starting slots.
Having young prospects waiting in the wings makes things much more complicated. Kaeden Korczak should get some ice-time with the Vegas Golden Knights this season. There's also the possibility Lukas Cormier gets those same opportunities. Whatever the case, the blue-liner room is crowded and the youth movement makes moving Shea Theodore's contract much more plausible.
The case against Kelly McCrimmon and the Golden Knights moving Shea Theodore
While moving Shea Theodore sounds like a good idea, there are good reasons why that shouldn't be the case. First, he has a niche defensively, relying on his quickness to make plays. It's good to have a defensive player who contrasts with his fellow blue-liners, steering away from brute strength to pickpocket opposing players.
That's how he generated 302 takeaways during his Vegas Golden Knights career, making him one of their most reliable defensemen. With his shaky play on the defensive end, he won't be the perfect blue-line player. However, he can get by by creating turnovers and leading the forecheck.
Theodore also serves a purpose as an offensive quarterback, distributing scoring opportunities to his teammates. During his Golden Knights tenure, he's scored 223 assists, making him one of the most underrated offensive blue-liners in the league. That includes the power play, where he dictates the play and can even score from the point.
While fans aren't sold on the Canadian superstar being a quality defenseman, he makes up for it with his offensive acumen. Whether it's generating rebounds for his teammates or his outstanding puck handling, Theodore can carry the play. He also holds the cards with a five-team no-trade list. That alone should give Kelly McCrimmon an incentive to keep his services.
The verdict
Originally, a trade involving Shea Theodore made sense considering the team's circumstances before free agency. They were looking to get a star forward and bolster their top line. Whether it was re-signing Jonathan Marchessault or signing Steven Stamkos, the Vegas Golden Knights needed to make room for that big name.
However, that time passed with neither of those names coming to Vegas. The Golden Knights lost a major piece to their power play unit, so why trade another piece to create cap space? Besides, Vegas has filled their roster, getting younger in the process. That includes players like Alexander Holtz, who have tremendous upside to their game.
Yes, the 28-year-old will be in the last year of his contract and should fetch a sizable deal next offseason. However, having Theodore around for another year can give the Golden Knights some bite in other aspects. Why not run it back and get the most out of one of the better blue-liners in the NHL?
Who knows? They might actually pull the trigger on getting Marner and bolstering their top line. However, Vegas is hurting for offensive production at any juncture. If the Golden Knights want to win the Stanley Cup this season, that might mean holding onto that $5.2 million cap hit until year's end... or even beyond.
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