The Vegas Golden Knights are holding onto the Pacific Division lead heading into Tuesday’s action. A division title is always a nice goal, but Vegas is looking for its second Stanley Cup in its short history. A key member of that title team suffered a serious injury in the 4 Nations Face-Off . But Shea Theodore is coming back for the Golden Knights just in time for the stretch run.
Theodore has been skating for about a week with the Golden Knights. He spoke with the media before the game on Tuesday, where Vegas plays in Minnesota.
“It’s been good to kinda get back out there and get into kinda a routine and be back with the guys,” he said of his return to the ice.
Theodore continued, “It’s been long, for sure. You know, you never want to miss any time. You know, unfortunate injury, but I feel good and hopefully feel stronger.”
When asked what he wants to bring to the Golden Knights, he responded, “I think just a little bit of energy. This time of year, I think any kind of boost is good. [I’m] feeling fresh, rested my legs a little bit over the past couple weeks.”
The Golden Knights’ game against the Wild was also Theodore’s 500th in the NHL.
The Golden Knights will lean on Shea Theodore during the playoff run
During their Cup run in 2023, the Golden Knights had an elite defensive core. Alex Pietrangelo and Theodore combined to dominate the playoff run, and they scored just enough to win. That could be their formula again, with a fresh Theodore to help them out. That run got Adin Hill a massive contract, but even they know the defenders are the key to their success.
Western Conference teams added a lot of talent at the NHL trade deadline. Mikko Rantanen came back West, joining the Dallas Stars. Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle went to the Avalanche, and many other teams made additions. The Golden Knights mostly sat out, only adding original misfit Reilly Smith before the deadline.
Defense will be key to getting out of the Western Conference. With Pietrangelo and Theodore healthy, the Golden Knights have one of the best pairings in the league. The Avalanche’s top pair of Cale Makar and Devon Toews isn’t half bad either. And Miro Heiskanen could miss Dallas’ first-round series. With Theodore back, Vegas has as good of a chance as any to win the Cup.
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