Greg Wyshynski, ESPNO Oct 24, 2024, 5:26pm ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is a senior NHL writer for ESPN.
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Shea Theodore to a seven-year contract extension, bolstering one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.
Theodore’s $51.9 million deal carries an average annual value of $7.425 million and runs through the 2031-32 season.
Theodore, 29, is the original “Golden Misfit,” having joined the team in its inaugural season (2017-18) in the expansion draft trade from the Anaheim Ducks. Theodore has 296 points in 450 games for the Knights over eight seasons, making him the scoring leader among defensemen. He had 13 points in 21 playoff games in 2023, helping Vegas win its first Stanley Cup championship.
Editor’s Picks
1 related
There was speculation about Theodore’s future with the Knights after they traded for Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin, 27, last season and signed him to an eight-year, $58.8 million contract extension in April. Theodore was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and Vegas has never been shy about making tough business decisions regarding highly touted veteran players.
Instead, the Knights get one of the best defensive trios in the NHL through at least the 2026-27 season: Theodore, Hanifin and 34-year-old Alex Pietrangelo, who has three more years remaining on his deal with an $8.8 million AAV. .
