Shea Theodore was part of a recurring theme that persisted throughout the 2024-25 season. That was the Vegas Golden Knights having career years. Now, it wasn't just one person who set career-highs. A whole army of Golden Knights broke through personal glass ceilings.
They didn't just break it, though. They. Shattered. It.
Take your pick among the many players who broke through in 2024-25. Jack Eichel had 66 assists and 94 points, both career-highs. Kelly McCrimmon better pay that man or there will be torches and pitchforks on the Las Vegas Strip.
That also applies to Keegan Kolesar, who had career-highs in goals (12), assists (18), and points (30). That also applies to Brett Howden, who set career-highs in goals (23) and points (40).
Then, Theodore had career-highs in assists (50) and points (57). On top of that, he set a personal-high in power play assists (17), bolstering the second-best power play in the NHL (28.3%). It's no wonder he got a seven-year deal!
Golden Knights fans knew how good the newly extended blue liner is offensively. However, there's always room for improvement. That's especially true with a new player heading to town ready to take over the NHL (yeah, you know who it is already). So, how can Theodore aid in that takeover?
How Shea Theodore can get even better in 2025-26
Of course, not all career-highs are alike. Some can raise alarms in an organization, particularly when your team has the fifth-most giveaways in the NHL (15.90).
Believe it or not, Theodore set a career-high in this category with 105 last season. I know, shocking. Ironically, the Golden Knights' blue line had a forgettable year in this regard. Alex Pietrangelo also set a career-high here (106 giveaways), along with Zach Whitecloud (74).
Therefore, the first step is to take care of the puck. Plain and simple. Don't rush the play and take your time.
Also, he can stand to be stronger in the defensive zone. Sometimes, he's not the most reliable player in this regard, letting opponents slip past him. That must change to go further than 2024-25.
Now, I know what you're thinking here. What about the power play? Well, that's a good question! After all, you have an embarrassment of riches on the unit now...
The power play conundrum
With Marner coming into the fold, someone must go down from the first power play unit. You have six players who can carry a viable spot in the unit:
- Mitch Marner
- Jack Eichel
- Tomas Hertl
- Pavel Dorofeyev
- Tomas Hertl
- Shea Theodore
Now, in an extra-attacker scenario, this is perfectly fine. Two big bodies, a few facilitators, and a sniper with a solid shot anchoring the unit. That's perfect except... the power play has five players. So, let's evaluate Theodore's spot from a couple of scenarios.
If he stays on the top unit, life is easy. He'll have Hertl to mop up the slot and jump on rebounds. Theodore shines brightest when he's given the opportunity to set up shots for his teammates. That's even better when you have a big body who can take that rebound and bury it.
Of course, this can be interchangeable with Mark Stone in front. Granted, he's not as aggressive as Hertl is. However, the defenseman still has the same opportunities to create rebounds.
If he goes to the second unit, that's where it changes. The group doesn't carry the same size and slot presence if Theodore goes down instead of Stone. Sure, you have Noah Hanifin projected to be in the group. But is he doing Hertl's job? It's not likely.
That means taking those shots himself. While Theodore isn't keen on aiming to score, that might be an adjustment he'll make. That's likely why he'll start on the first unit, for he can set up scoring opportunities and flourish better.
With that, he'll go even further than his career year in 2024-25. Who knows? He might get some consideration for the Norris Trophy if he goes further. Now that would define a career.