Shea Theodore has signed a new contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.

This contract is great to Vegas, cause right now Theodore worths about 5M and he probably will worths even more in next years. If I were his agent, I'll surely ask for more money to sign for such term.

Decent signing, ton of offensive upside.

I am a little concerned about him defensively though. he looked completely exposed vs Washington in the SCF.

he is a little overpaid right now, but if he can sure up his defensive responsibilities and continue to grow this could be a steal of a contract the last 3-4 years

I honestly thought he'd get a bridge deal like Morrissey or Nurse, especially since he's only played one full season.

Definitely a contract that goes from overpaid to underpaid given his market value if he takes all the right steps in his game. He is only in his early 20s so he has a few years to really get his game rounded out and to show he is a solid defenseman.

This deal is extremely Vegas friendly, and the term for 7 years is locking in a player for great value. Theodore's upside is higher than most (if-not-all) defense-men on the Golden Knights roster, and if Theodore gets better over the next few seasons this contract will look like robbery. On the other hand, if Theodore doesn't reach his potential or falls short of expectations, this contract is very "Trade friendly" as well. Either way, Vegas has played their cards really well, and its up to Theodore to prove his projected growth in the NHL!

Ages 23 - 30

Pretty great considering a pylon costs $4 million

It's good to get him locked up for 7 years, but I would've thought a deal would've materialized closer to the bridge deals signed by Morrissey and Nurse. But even if he's getting 7 years, I would've expected a slightly lower AAV.

AAV is ok for him but the term is pretty good. We'll see if he gets better.

I'm surprised this deal took so long to materialize. How much more did Theodore want? He only scored 29 points last season in 61 games and saw a ton of PP time on a great team. He's got a high ceiling, but this deal really makes the signings of guys like Seth Jones ($5.4M AAV), Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5M AAV), and John Klingberg ($4.25M AAV) look like incredible values. Vegas is clearly paying for potential. Theodore's performance to date does not warrant $5.2M AAV for 7 years.

I read from multiple sources that apparently the hold-up was that Theodore's camp wanted a two year deal, and Vegas wanted to lock him up long term. Which is strange because I feel like its the players who usually want the longer deals, apparently Vegas won the staredown. Hope that answers your question Brian

This one goes immediately into my Top 20 signings for 2018. Not that it is without risk. On a short (1-2y) bridge, Theodore would have collected 3M to 3.5M AAV. Once the 3rd and 4th year get added it would be over 4M AAV. This does that and buys his first 3 years of unrestricted free agency as well, for barely more than 5M per year. Had they done a bridge and waited 2 years, that AAV could have easily topped 7M.

All of this is assuming Theodore develops into the Top-4 D-Man with 1st PP time that he is projected for. Given that he is almost there already, after barely 1 season of NHL experience, I think that one can be confident that he’ll get there. The bigger risk is injuries and their impact on a player (particularly concussions). But if we let that worry guide us we’d never have any deals made.

Seems like a trend to sign young D-Meb to long term deals right off their ELC’s. I’m talking about more than just the Top 20 D in the NHL but anyone who looks like he could be a top pairing guy. Just this summer there has been: Skjei (6y @ 5.25M), Theodore (7y @ 5.2M), and Hanifin (6y @ 4.95M). Given the extra year, I like this better than the other 2 deals for Skjei and Hanifin. I am sure one will look like more of a bust in 3/4 years, it’s just tough To know how these guys will all develop.

3rd best D on Vegas but the most paid??
Doesn't make sense.

Thank you. It does answer the question, but you're right, it does seem rather strange. I see Theodore as a 50 point scorer and an average defensive player at his peak. I don't think his ceiling puts him on par w/ the top 20 D's in the league.

Talent level doesn't always correlate to pay. Assuming you're referring to Miller and Schmidt as the two defensemen better than him, Theodore has done more at his current age than the other two did, therefore warranting a higher salary. Miller only broke out this past season at age 25, while Schmidt was also a late bloomer and only broke out around age 25. Theodore build a much stronger base at age 23. He also has a higher ceiling than the other two.

3rd best D on Vegas but the most paid??
Doesn't make sense.

Close, Miller and McNabb.

I agree 100%. They're paying for potential. 29 points last season and shaky defensive play wouldn't usually warrant this type of contract, but he clearly has huge upside offensively. Also, the Cap could be significantly higher in years to come so the cap hit % that Theodore's contract takes up would be much lower.

I agree. Especially since George McPhee already went on a huge spending spree this summer. First, Miller, Stasny, and Fleury. Then, Karlsson, albeit for one year. Finally, Pacioretty and Theodore. Who'd have ever thought a year ago that Vegas would be a "cap team" after only one season? Currently, they have just over $4M in cap space and that number will evaporate next summer when Fleury's, Pacioretty's, and presumably William Karlsson's new contracts take effect. And they still have a plethora of draft picks to play with. Vegas is set to be major Cup contenders for years to come.

Good for both player and team.