VHN’s Golden Knights February Player of the Month: Shea Theodore

The month of February was good to the Vegas Golden Knights. After the team stumbled into the NHL All-Star Break, they rebounded with a 6-1-2 in the shortest month of the year. Their most recent loss on Monday to the Colorado Avalanche marked the team's only regulation loss. 

The Golden Knights collected points in nine-straight games and remain atop the Pacific Division standings with only a couple of months left in the regular season. A big part of the VGK's recent success has been their fully-healthy D corps as guys like Zach Whiteccloud and Shea Theodore have returned.

Shea Theodore

While other star players like Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson got back to their scoring ways, so did Shea Theodore, albeit in a more quiet manner. The 27-year-old defenseman made his return to the VGK lineup after missing 20 straight games with a lower-body injury. 

"He's a big driver in breakouts, the neutral zone, and just the ability to freeze people and make a tape-to-tape pass with some zip… So lots of good stuff. You see that special talent where he can separate," said head coach Bruce Cassidy.

Since then he has played in eleven games, scoring two goals and eight assists for ten points. His six-game point streak where he scored nine points from the 12th to 25th tied a Golden Knights record for defenseman scoring in consecutive games.

With Theodore back on the Golden Knight's blue line, he gives the team an extra level of offense that all good teams have.

"We need it. Most of the teams you look over the years they have offensive drivers back. Going back to last year obviously (Cale) Makar and you see (Devon) Toews up there. You need dynamic guys back there. (Miro) Heiskanen does a good job for Dallas, (Josh) Morrissey in Winnipeg, (Charlie) McAvoy in Boston, I have watched (Victor) Hedman do it for years, it's what you need," said coach Cassidy.

The Golden Knights continue to have one of the strongest defense corps in the league with Theodore, veterans Alex Pietrangelo, Alec Martinez, and Brayden McNabb, and emerging youngsters Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud. 

Feb. Stat Read: 9 games played, 2-6-10 points, 2 ESG, +5 rating, 27 SOG, 2 PIMs, and 21:00 ATOI.

Highlight of the Month: Theodore's go-ahead goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Past Players of the Month (2022-23): October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May