Vegas Golden Knights Lock Down Top Defenseman with Massive Seven-Year Deal

The Vegas Golden Knights start to their NHL tenure has been nothing short of historic, and throughout that time, there's been no more important player to the organization than Shea Theodore. Since the Knights inception, Theodore has played in 450 games for the Golden Knights, tallying 67 goals and 296 points over that time, with the 29-year old being a crucial part of their lone Stanley Cup run.

Now, the team have officially rewarded him, inking him to a massive deal that carries an annual salary of $7.425 million over the next seven seasons.

While some believe this team could take a step back in the coming years, this move shows that the Golden Knights are confident they can remain a perennial Stanley Cup threat for years to come, with the 29-year old alongside Noah Hanifin and Alex Pietrangelo being crucial parts of their core for years.

At 6-foot-2, the British Colombia native has the physical tools and the skills to be a number one defenseman for a long time to come in the NHL, although there is major injury issues to be wary of. Over the last five years, Theodore has played in 70 or more games just twice, with a combined 102 in the past two seasons raising questions over his ability to stay on the ice.

This past summer, the Golden Knights moved on from four veterans, signalling a major shift in their mindset moving forward, and with Theodore now locked in, it appears their core is here to stay as they look to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals for a third time since 2017.