The Vegas Golden Knights will be without one of their top defenseman for the foreseeable future.
The team announced on Wednesday that Shea Theodore underwent surgery due to an upper-body injury and will be out week-to-week.
It’s unclear how Theodore injured himself, as the 28-year-old had 24:42 of ice time in his last appearance with the Golden Knights against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 22.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy said last Friday that he would miss the Saturday matchup vs. the Arizona Coyotes (Vegas lost 2-0) and Theodore would be day-to-day. However, it appears the injury was worse than the Knights anticipated, which led to Theodore and the club choosing surgery.
Through 20 games this season, Theodore has scored four goals and 14 assists for 18 points, a 73-point pace that would blow past his career-high 52 points he recorded in 2021-22.
Theodore is currently in the sixth year of a seven-year deal with a $5.2 million cap hit, a contract he signed with Vegas as a restricted free agent after the run to the Stanley Cup Final in the franchise's inaugural 2017-18 season.
Drafted 26th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Theodore spent his first two NHL seasons with the Ducks, scoring five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 53 games. However, his time with the Ducks was cut short as he was traded to the Golden Knights at the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
Theodore remains one of the five remaining original members of the Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights are first place in the Western Conference with a 14-5-2 record and 32 points, as of Nov. 29.
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