Vegas Golden Knights fans won't like this bit of news coming from Milan today. They're going to be disappointed when they see where Shea Theodore stands in Team Canada's lineup card.
Look away because this might hurt your eyes, Golden Knights fans.
Toews Makar
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) February 8, 2026
Morrissey Parayko
Doughty Harley
Theodore Sanheim
Heck, you can say that Canadian hockey fans were disappointed with the news. They're desperate for another gold medal win, especially when you consider that they haven't seen a Stanley Cup winner since 1993. Some fans are wondering what the hell is Team Canada thinking?
It's certainly an interesting decision. But let's dissect this a little further and see why Theodore got the shaft in the worst way possible. National pride and a gold medal are on the line here and Team Canada needs its best players on the ice. These stats show why Theodore deserves a bump.
The stats show why Shea Theodore deserves to hop Drew Doughty in Team Canada's lineup
If you want further proof that the Original Misfit got the short end of the stick, look no further than the statistical comparison. MoneyPuck has the stats to show that Theodore deserves a higher bump in Team Canada's lineup over the Los Angeles Kings defenseman, specifically in the offensive category. Mind you, Doughty's played 48 games this season, while Theodore has played 46.
Player | Goals | Assists | Primary Assists | Shots Blocked By Player | Goals Above Expected | Rebounds Created | Rebounds Created Above Expected | Goals Above Shooting Talent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shea Theodore | 7 | 20 | 9 | 66 | 1.8 | 9 | 3.3 | 1.5 |
Drew Doughty | 3 | 11 | 4 | 53 | -1.8 | 5 | 0.6 | -2.2 |
Across the board, you can see that Theodore is ahead of Doughty. He scores more goals, he's better at setting up prime scoring opportunities, and he's better at hitting on his rebounds. All these make him a better fit for what Team Canada strives to do.
But that's not the only reason why Theodore needs to be bumped up. Theodore is much younger than Doughty, with the Misfit being 30 years old. As for the Kings' defenseman? He's 36 years old. When you're going up against the best players in the world, you need your best to have some youth. The defenseman group looks older with Doughty around, compared to a younger, improved Theodore around.
That's especially true with countries like the United States and Sweden trotting out lineups with younger, faster skaters. That could be a problem if these countries decide to forecheck and apply offensive pressure. How will you handle the incoming attack if you're facing Rasmus Dahlin or Quinn Hughes? That's the big question that Team Canada must consider before the Olympic session starts for men's hockey.
Theodore will make Team Canada much better if he gets more ice time
Sure, you can make some concessions about Theodore's play that deter him from taking on a bigger role. His shot selection isn't as good as Doughty's and he's known for the occasional turnover. However, the offensive numbers don't lie when it comes to who deserves a better spot in Team Canada's lineup.
Theodore moves the puck better, is younger and has the offensive IQ to run in Team Canada's attack. You want to put your freshest talent on the ice when facing the world's best. That's no different for Team Canada, who's faced some turmoil and turbulence in recent years.
That's especially true with the Misfit improving on the back end. He's turned his pairing with Brayden McNabb into one of the NHL's best and has even raised eyebrows with Jeremy Lauzon on his other end. If the Golden Knights can get more bang for their buck with Theodore around, imagine what Team Canada can do with the 30-year-old around.
If not? Well, the embarrassment will continue for the country above the United States.