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Shea Theodore

Pacific Notes: Vlasic, Eakin, Anderson

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With the series hitting Vegas and both teams deadlocked at one, the San Jose Sharks already have hit a road bump as The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the head coach Peter DeBoer said the team will be inserting reserve defenseman Tim Heed into the lineup and Marc-Edouard Vlasic will miss Game 3 with an undisclosed injury.

Vlasic left Friday’s game during the second period after replays look like he blocked a shot from Shea Theodore with his arm, although Kurz wonders whether the shot may have gone off his head. DeBoer declined to reveal where the puck hit Vlasic. While the 32-year-old’s point totals have dropped this season, he still is the team’s third-best defenseman on the team behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson and averaged 21:07 of ATOI this season, which will be a big loss for a Sharks’ team that will want to win one of the next two games to regain home-ice advantage.

The loss of Vlasic will likely mean even more minutes for both Burns and Karlsson. Burns has averaged more than 28 minutes in the first two games of the series, while Karlsson broke 29 minutes in Game 2. Heed will likely be paired with Justin Braun. The team also has recalled defenseman Jacob Middleton from the San Jose Barracuda, according to CapFriendly.

  • Vegas Golden Knights third-line center Cody Eakin will be ready to go after suffering an injury to his face during Friday’s game on a hit from Timo Meier, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Eakin was seen on the ice this morning with a jaw protector attached to his helmet. The 27-year-old Eakin finished the season with a career-high 22 goals this season.
  • ESPN’s Chris Peters reports that Los Angeles Kings defenseman Michael Anderson has likely played his last collegiate game after the University of Minnesota-Duluth blueliner won his second-straight NCAA championship Saturday. Expect the Kings to sign the 19-year-old sophomore to an entry-level contract soon. Anderson, the team’s fourth-round pick in 2017, is considered to be a solid shutdown defender with impressive leadership skills.

 

 

Anaheim Ducks Sign Defenseman Simon Benoit

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3/7: The Duck have confirmed the signing and the terms of the deal for Benoit, noting that the first-year pro leads the Gulls and is third among all AHL rookie defensemen in plus/minus, while also leading San Diego rookie defenders in goals, shots, and games played. The strong performance from the under-the-radar junior signing has clearly impressed the Anaheim brass this season.

3/4: The Anaheim Ducks have made an unexpected splash into the free agent market, signing a player off their AHL squad. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that the Ducks have signed undrafted QMJHL product Simon Benoit to a three-year entry-level contract. CapFriendly adds that the contract begins next season and carries an AAV of $925K, offset by a $278K signing bonus and $348K in potential performance bonuses over the term of the deal. Benoit has played all season on an AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls.

Benoit, 20, has made the most of his first pro season after he failed to draw NHL interest this past summer. The 6’3″, 192-lb. possession defenseman has established himself as a capable two-way defender in the AHL and looks to have NHL upside. A former standout with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, Benoit has moved to the pro level seamlessly, recording 12 points and a team-best +17 rating thus far through 50 games with the Gulls.

With San Diego head coach Dallas Eakins as the heavy favorite to take over as head coach in Anaheim next season, the future could be bright for Benoit if he can continue his dependable defensive play. The Ducks have lost Shea Theodore, Sami Vatanen, Marcus Pettersson, and Brandon Montour from their blue line in the last 18 months, opening up the door for prospects to play a bigger role moving forward. With Anaheim’s cap crunch so tight, they are unlikely to make many major additions on the back end this off-season either. With just three core defensemen remaining and signed through next season, it is very likely that there could be three, if not four or five, spots on the Ducks blue line up for grabs in training camp next year. Benoit will certainly throw his hat in the ring and at the very least could earn his NHL debut at some point in the 2019-20 season.

Pacific Notes: Vegas’ Defense, Boeser, Kovalchuk, Luff, McLellan

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The Vegas Golden Knights have always followed a general philosophy when it comes to pairing up their defensemen. Head coach Gerard Gallant loves to pair a fast, quick-moving offensive defenseman with a bigger defensive counterpart. However, with Nate Schmidt missing the first 20 games of the season with a suspension, Gallant hasn’t had the opportunity to put together his perfect pairing, which included Schmidt matched up with Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore with Deryk Engelland and Colin Miller paired with Nick Holden.

The Athletic’s Jesse Granger (subscription required) analyzes those new changes which has produced a 3-0 record since Gallant put those pairings together, including a 2-1 overtime win over Arizona and a pair of shutouts over Calgary and San Jose, Friday and Saturday. That’s just one goal allowed in 183 minutes. While it has been made clear that the team missed Schmidt, Vegas’ entire defense missed him as everyone had been shuffled out of alignment without the speedy blueliner. Without Schmidt, the team lacked a third offensive defenseman as the team had to pair Holden with Jonathon Merrill, which struggled throughout the first quarter of the season.

“It adjusted our defenseman because they all played different roles when Nate was out,” Gallant said. “So, everybody is in their spots now and playing pretty well and they are confident.”

  • Rick Dhailwal of Sportsnet reports that he’s heard from a source that Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser is making good progress recovering from his groin injury. The 21-year-old has been out since Nov. 2. The scribe adds that Boeser is getting closer and should be back at some point next week. He has four goals and 11 points in 13 games so far this year.
  • One of the Los Angeles Kings struggles comes from the play of major off-season acquisition Ilya Kovalchuk who has failed to record a point in eight straight games, according to Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times. The 35-year-old, who signed a three-year, $18.75MM contract this summer, has gone from the team’s top winger to a third-stringer and has dropped to the second unit of the power play. The team broke their 0-for-16 slump on the power play Saturday with Kovalchuk on the bench.
  • Fox Sports Jon Rosen writes that the Kings need to get more playing time to rookie Matt Luff, who has played well since being called up from the AHL. The 21-year-old has three goals in eight games after dominating in Ontario. Head coach Willie Desjardins re-teamed him with Carl Hagelin and Adrian Kempe, which found some success for the Kings. The scribe writes that Luff needs playing time and needs to start receiving power play time as well.
  • Rosen also adds that the Kings have no interest in bringing former Edmonton Oilers’ coach Todd McLellan aboard.

Vegas Signs Shea Theodore To Seven-Year Contract

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The stand-off between restricted free agent defenseman Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights is over and ended in a way that few expected after all this time. Late last night – or early this morning for many – Theodore ended his holdout by signing a seven-year extension worth $36.4MM, per a team release. It is a flat structure without any salary fluctuation or bonuses, but does include a modified No-Trade Clause in the final two years, as reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. Theodore will now re-join the Knights at training camp and is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

The new contract carries a $5.2MM AAV, higher than Theodore’s reported comparable contracts of Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse. However, those two players each signed two-year bridge deals, whereas Theodore was able to land long-term security, as well as eat into unrestricted free agency years, with five extra years at a salary of close to $2MM more. The cap hit for a long-term deal is also commensurate with Theodore’s experience relative to those two, comparable to recent deals signed by the likes of Toronto’s Nikita Zaitsev, Florida’s Michael Matheson, and the Rangers’ Brady Skjei. It turns out that term was actually the bigger factor in negotiations than salary, according to GM George McPhee, speaking to the media following the Knights’ preseason game last night. “I don’t know that we were ever really far apart; it was more what’s the right term. They were more interested in going shorter, we were more interested going longer,” McPhee said, adding that “When it was all laid out and explained” to Theodore, there was finally a resolution. McPhee stressed the importance of cost certainty when negotiation a long-term deal with a player they see as a major core piece moving forward, balancing cap space with commitment, and stating that he is “confident” with the long-term core they have put together.

Not long ago it seemed there was no resolution in sight between Theodore and the Golden Knights, only for a surprise long-term deal to be announced overnight. Could another contract negotiation break the same way? With Theodore signed, only the Maple Leafs’ William Nylander and the Ducks’ Nick Ritchie remain unsigned and the news out of both cities has been equally pessimistic. Yet, if Theodore can agree to deal with just some small tweaks and some inside information from management, others can too. With the regular season set to open next week, the clock is ticking for these two remaining RFA’s to make a deal.

New Jersey Devils, Miles Wood Agree To Four-Year Deal

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The New Jersey Devils announced they have signed restricted free agent Miles Wood to a four-year, $11MM deal with an AAV of $2.75MM. Wood is expected to report to practice tomorrow at the Prudential Center, according to NHL.com’s Amanda Stein.

Wood had a breakthrough season last year when he tallied 19 goals, 32 points and 84 penalty minutes in his second season for New Jersey, while playing in a bottom-six role. Despite losing playing time once the playoffs hit, the 23-year-old restricted free agent opted to hold out during training camp. The Athletic’s Corey Masisak reports that the Devils management and Wood went back and forth between one, two, three, and four-year contracts before finally agreeing to the four-year deal. It’s likely Wood was willing to give up term in order to get more money from the Devils. Despite the four-year deal, Wood will still be a restricted free agent when this contract ends as he’s not eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2023.

With Wood off the board, there remain just three restricted free agents remaining that have not signed a deal and are holding out, including Toronto Maple Leafs’ William Nylander, Vegas Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore and Anaheim Ducks’ Nick Ritchie.

Elliotte Friedman was the first to report Wood’s AAV.

Pacific Notes: Ducks, Theodore, Forbort

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While the Sharks ultimately wound up acquiring defenseman Erik Karlsson, Ducks GM Bob Murray acknowledged to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register that they had discussed a similar package of players.  However, Murray stated that they opted to drop out of the talks when they realized that they wouldn’t have been able to realistically give him a contract extension:

“I couldn’t afford him, so I didn’t hold Pierre (Dorion, Senators GM). I said, ‘Hey, I can give you the things you got.’ I was more than capable of giving him what he got. But, if you can’t afford a person, why are you going to do that?”

While Anaheim has more than $6MM in cap space for the upcoming season (an amount that will drop once they re-sign winger Nick Ritchie), they already have over $69MM committed to just 14 players for 2019-20.  Even if the salary cap goes up again as expected next summer, there’s no way the Ducks would have been able to afford an extension for Karlsson and have enough space to fill out their roster without moving out someone of significance.  Instead, they’ll face off against him in San Jose where GM Doug Wilson is optimistic they can work out a new deal.

More from the Pacific:

  • Golden Knights RFA defenseman Shea Theodore is open to both a short-term bridge deal or a long-term pact, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in an appearance on Sportsnet 650 (audio link). However, the team is not happy with the numbers Theodore’s side has proposed in either case.  While blueliners Josh Morrissey and Darnell Nurse signed nearly identical two-year pacts over the past few days, Theodore doesn’t quite have the track record that the others have as he has just 114 career regular season games (plus 40 postseason contests) under his belt which will make it difficult for him to seek a similar payday.
  • Although he was classified as week-to-week with a back injury at the start of camp, Kings defenseman Derek Forbort may resume skating with the team as early as Saturday, reports Curtis Zupke of the LA Times (Twitter link). The injury was sustained at some point this past summer but if he’s able to participate in practice over the next few days, he should be on track to be available for the start of the season.

Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights Not Close On Contract

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Though Darnell Nurse and Josh Morrissey have both ended their contract negotiations the last few days and signed with their respective organizations, John Shannon of Sportsnet cautions any optimism that Shea Theodore could follow suit. Shannon reports that the Vegas Golden Knights and Theodore are not close to a deal currently, though obviously that could change at a moment’s notice.

Theodore, 23, is in a slightly different situation than his contemporaries, given that he has just 114 NHL games under his belt through three seasons. Even in 2017-18 he began the year in the minor leagues due to Vegas roster constraints, and ended up playing in just 61 games with the club. That obviously changed in the playoffs, where Theodore was a core piece of the blue line led all Golden Knights defensemen with 10 points in 20 games, but the team can still point to a relative lack of experience in negotiations in order to keep his cap hit down.

It’s not clear what exactly Theodore is looking for, but with the Golden Knights already without Nate Schmidt for a quarter of the season due to suspension the young defenseman does hold a fair bit leverage even in a situation where the free agent is normally at a disadvantage. Without Schmidt or Theodore in the lineup the Golden Knights really lack a puck-moving option on the left side, and could struggle to get it quickly out of their end and up to the talented forwards. Nick Holden could potentially fill part of that role, but has a ton of experience playing on the right side despite his left handedness.

Unlike Morrissey and Nurse, the Golden Knights do have the financial situation to extend Theodore long-term if they choose. While the Oilers are pushed right up to the cap already, and the Jets will be a year from now when they have to re-sign Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba, the Golden Knights have plenty of cap room to work with going forward even after the recent Max Pacioretty extension. If the team wanted to buy out unrestricted free agent years—something that is by no means certain—they could afford the extra bump in cap space in the short term.

Still, Theodore may have cause to prefer a bridge deal himself. After putting up 29 points in those 61 regular season games last season, and knowing that Schmidt will be out for the first part of the season, there is reason to believe that Theodore could easily come close to or even eclipse a 50-point season given ample powerplay usage. That kind of output would set him up for a much bigger deal down the road after he’s proven he can stay healthy and productive for a full season, an opportunity he may not want to give up by signing long-term right now.

Winnipeg Jets, Josh Morrissey Agree To Two-Year Bridge Deal

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The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to a two-year bridge deal with restricted free agent defenseman Josh Morrissey, according to Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe. It will be a two-year deal with $6.3MM with an AAV of $3.15MM. That’s impressive value for Winnipeg, who have finally wrapped up their offseason signings.

The team has already signed a host of players this offseason, including goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (six years, $36MM), forwards Adam Lowry (three years, $8.75MM), Brandon Tanev (one year, $1.15MM), Marko Dano (one year, $800K), defensemen Jacob Trouba (one year, $5.5MM), Tucker Poolman (three years, $2.33MM), Joseph Morrow (one year, $1MM). They also extended Blake Wheeler to a five-year, $43.25MM deal.

Morrissey, who has been in the league for two years, posted solid numbers for the Jets as the partner of Trouba on the team’s top line. The 23-year-old has been solid on defense and showed some offensive spark, posting 13 goals and 46 points in two seasons. He was also paired more and more against their opponents’ top line, especially in the playoffs. The two-year deal allows the Jets to look into a long-term option then when he still will be a restricted free agent. That gives both sides more opportunity to see if Morrissey can continue to develop into legitimate No. 1 defender down the road.

The signing could also spark other restricted free agents as both Edmonton Oilers’ Darnell Nurse and Vegas Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore were both waiting to see what Morrissey would do. The deal could affect the negotiating leverage that both have as neither player had better offensive numbers than Morrissey.

 

Shea Theodore, Golden Knights Far Apart In Negotiations

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Much like fellow Pacific Division restricted free agent Nick Ritchie and the Anaheim Ducks, promising young defenseman Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights remain far from a resolution in contract talks. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun writes that the two sides are currently not close to a deal. While he adds that the status quo can change quickly, he does not presently see an end to the impasse. This comes in conflict with GM George McPhee’s recent statement that a deal would be completed soon.

With Golden Knights training camp opening up today, Theodore’s absence becomes much more apparent. The team, entering just its second season, will begin preparations for the regular season without a player that was likely slotted to begin the season on the top pair. Following the revelation of Nate Schmidt’s 20-game suspension, Theodore would presumably be the best candidate start on the left side for the first quarter of the season, ahead of the likes of Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Brad Hunt, and free agent addition Nick Holden. Until he is re-signed, one of that group will be forced into the top pair. Theodore’s continued absence also hurts Vegas’ blue line depth. Although they all remain unsigned, the team did lose considerable depth in the departures of Luca Sbisa, Jason Garrison, Clayton Stoner, and Philip Holm. With Schmidt on the sidelines and Theodore still unsigned, the team is slated to begin the year with just four defenseman who played in 50+ NHL games last season and only eight with any NHL experience at all.

As such, one would expect the team to do what it takes to get Theodore under contract before the puck drops on the new season. Theodore has not given the Golden Knights any reason to doubt his future effectiveness, as the 22-year-old scored 29 points in 61 games last year while skating in over 20 minutes per night. Theodore trailed only Schmidt in average time on ice and defensive scoring and led all Knights defenders in goals, assists, points, and shots in the postseason. On top of that, if Theodore’s shooting percentage regresses positively – as it should – in a full-season role, he should be even more productive moving forward. While the team can no longer treat the salary cap as a non-factor and thus don’t want to dramatically overpay their young defenseman, Vegas has too many reasons not to resolve these contract talks as soon as possible.

Kevin Bieksa A Fit For Vegas Golden Knights?

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Respected veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa isn’t quite ready to hang up his skates. The long-time Vancouver Canuck is no longer the elite defender that he was in his younger days, but at 37 years old he showed during the past few seasons with the Anaheim Ducks that he can still be a serviceable asset on the blue line. He continues to train as if he is playing this season and could sign soon. However, Bieksa tells Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy that he’s hoping he can land with a “perfect fit”. Bieksa’s family is remaining in California regardless of where he signs and Bieksa would prefer to stay nearby. In fact, Bieksa claims that he has received multiple offers this off-season, but has not pulled the trigger in hopes of staying closer to his family.

A “relatively close” NHL location to Anaheim, California would of course be the Ducks, but also Pacific Division rivals like the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights. Bieksa left the Ducks on poor terms after being underutilized in the postseason, so a return seems very unlikely. Meanwhile, the Kings, Sharks, and Coyotes are very deep on the blue line.

The Golden Knights are an intriguing option, though. The team was recently dealt a blow in the form of a 20-game suspension for top pair defender Nate Schmidt. Vegas is also still at odds with Shea Theodore over a new contract and the restricted free agent remains unsigned as training camp nears. This currently leaves just six proven NHL defenseman on the active roster, including 36-year-old Deryk Engelland and journeyman Brad Hunt. The Knights aren’t without some interesting prospect options, such as Griffin Reinhart and Zach Whitecloud, but the team has already been linked to interest in a veteran PTO or two. Bieksa could step in – either on a tryout or affordable one-year deal – and provide some depth and leadership this season for Vegas. It seems like a natural fit for both sides; will it happen?

 

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