The 3 best defensemen in Vegas Golden Knights history

Which three defensemen exemplify what it means to protect the Vegas Golden Knights' goalie? These names certainly come to mind.

The modern NHL defenseman has evolved from being rough and rowdy to being an offensive player with finesse. No longer are you seeing players like Nicklas Lidstrom play a pure defensive style. Instead, players like Erik Karlsson put up 100 points in a single season. It's like Roblox and Fortnite for modern hockey fans. Oh no, here comes the brain rot...

Luckily, that hasn't been the case for Vegas Golden Knights fans. They haven't had their eyes bleed out everywhere from seeing their defensemen do the Griddy on the ice like they tore an Achilles tendon (looking at you, Jake Walman). Instead, they got burly players who put everything on the line every night, blocking shots and clogging lanes.

It's a hallmark that transcends even Kelly McCrimmon's tenure. It was a style that was made famous throughout the Golden Knights' history, making them one of the toughest teams to score on. That's why players like Adin Hill and Marc-Andre Fleury have enjoyed a wave of success while playing in Sin City.

You know what's coming.

No, we're not honoring the goalies here since many of us know who the best goaltender in franchise history was. Instead, let's look at the three best players at the defenseman position. These players made their mark, whether it was complementing the attack or suffocating their opponents with... excellent defense.

3.) Brayden McNabb

Some people might not know this. But Brayden McNabb used to be a high-profile attacker. He scored 50 goals and 126 assists in five seasons in the WHL before he joined the NHL. However, that style didn't fit him well when he hit the big leagues.

What did he do? The Misfit reinvented himself. He blocked 1,274 shots, amassed 1,359 hits, and had 234 takeaways during his Vegas tenure. In turn, he's become one of the most important blue liners in franchise history, delivering a gritty defensive style that provided much-needed balance.

2.) Alex Pietrangelo

In 2020, the Golden Knights needed a true top-pair defenseman to get them over the top. They had a solid group that lacked a true two-way player overall. Such a player needed to play the entire length of the ice and contribute on every play.

Enter Alex Pietrangelo. The two-time Stanley Cup champion had 246 hits, 247 takeaways, and 720 blocked shots in five seasons with the Golden Knights. On top of that, he added 148 assists in those five seasons. Talk about being a complete difference-maker.

1.) Shea Theodore

Honestly, Theodore is one of the most overlooked players in Vegas Golden Knights history (Hello! Party of one!). He's the franchise leader in career assists (273) and capped off a career season with 50 in 2024-25. Combine that with being a "Day F****** One" Misfit and that's good enough for the No. 1 spot.

He also has the best career expected plus/minus in franchise history (91.7), along with having the most point shares (57.1). Therefore, he deserves plenty of recognition as one of the most important players in Golden Knights history.