The Vegas Golden Knights have locked up a key member of their defence. Shea Theodore has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Vegas through the 2031-32 season.
Theodore Gets His Payday
The team announced the extension for the 29-year old on Thursday. The seven-year deal has an annual average of $7.42. By extending Theodore, the Golden Knights have their defensive core locked up long term. In addition to Theodore, the team also has Noah Hanifin and Alex Pietrangelo under long-term contracts.
Furthermore, Vegas avoids Theodore going to free agency, where he would have been a highly-coveted defenceman.
Theodore is an Original Misfit
Theodore has been with Vegas since their inaugural season in 2017-18. The Anaheim Ducks traded Theodore to Vegas prior to the 2017 Expansion Draft in exchange for the Golden Knights selecting Clayton Stoner. He appeared in 61 regular season games and 20 playoff games in 2017-18, becoming one of the “Golden Misfits.”
Theodore helped the Golden Knight reach the Stanley Cup in 2018. While the team fell short of the ultimate goal, the standard was set that the Golden Knights were in “win now” mode, and would do what was needed to win the Stanley Cup. In 2023, the team accomplished that goal. Theodore produced 13 points during the club’s historic run, finishing second among NHL defencemen in scoring in the 2023 playoffs.
Payday For A Franchise Leader
Shea Theodore gets his payday with this contract as the franchise leader in scoring among defencemen with 296 points in 450 games. The blueliner has also appeared in a total of 114 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Since their inaugural season, the Golden Knights have seen changes to their roster. However, Theodore has always there. This shows how much the organization values the defenceman. While he has never been the best player on any of the Vegas teams he has played for, Theodore might just be the most valuable.
Looking Ahead
With Theodore and many others under contract, the Golden Knights are aiming for their second Stanley Cup. In four of their seven seasons, the Golden Knights have managed to reach the Western Conference Final at the very least. They will be looking to return and go even further in 2024-25.
