On Saturday, the Henderson Silver Knights traded Calen Addison to the Springfield Thunderbirds in a minor move. The outgoing party? You guessed it. Future considerations. It looks like the Vegas Golden Knights will field a full roster of players named "Future Considerations."
The 24-year-old was originally a second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2018 NHL Draft. He had 33 points with the Silver Knights and has played in 152 career NHL games. Addison previously played for the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks from 2020 to 2024, scoring six goals, 44 assists, and notching 96 penalty minutes. He got a professional try-out with the Ottawa Senators before being cut this season.
So who's the NHL affiliate of the Thunderbirds, you ask? Why, that would be none other than the St. Louis Blues, who started their five-year affiliation in 2020. This affiliation is unorthodox considering AHL teams normally mirror their NHL counterparts regarding where they play division-wise. If you were wondering, they play in Massachusetts, not Missouri (D'OH!).
But let's look at Addison and see what he brought to the table. The defenseman had plenty of promise heading into his NHL career. He could've fit in well within the Golden Knights system if he made some minor adjustments. So what made him special? What could he have done differently to stay with the Silver Knights longer?
Looking at the outgoing Calen Addison
Calen Addison could've been a younger version of Shea Theodore. He quarterbacks the power play well and can set up nice scoring opportunities for his teammates. The native of Brandon, Manitoba has an offensive mindset as a result, looking for open spots and reading these opportunities. That's why he was an overwhelming success during his WHL days, scoring 174 assists in five seasons. It came with being on the WHL East First All-Star Team in 2019-20.
So why was he dealt? For one, he's not the biggest player on the ice, standing at 5'11" and weighing 172 lbs. This makes it tough to fend off incoming attackers within his zone. It leads to costly turnovers and putting his team on their heels and goals. That's a risk no team's willing to take in the NHL. Unless he plans on being a speedy blue liner in the NHL, he must add more size to his frame.
While he runs an offense well, he must pick his spots better. That means knowing when to jump into the play and attacking accordingly. Sometimes, getting involved at the wrong time can lead to said disasters, causing more problems for the team. Scoring-wise, he could also produce more goals. He was ineffective during his time in San Jose, often doing nothing of substance with the team.
It was nice knowing you, Calen Addison. You had so much potential to be a Shea Thedore clone with the Vegas Golden Knights. Instead, the Henderson Silver Knights dealt you to the Springfield Thunderbirds for future considerations. Hopefully, you nail it in Springfield and score for Homer Simpson (WOO HOO!).