Shea Theodore had a front-row seat as to how wild of a ride an expansion team can be. He was traded the day of the Expansion Draft, sent to the AHL for opening night, came up about a month into the season, and then started all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
Now, Theodore is a key cog in one of the best teams in the NHL and there’s a new team in the Pacific Division looking to replicate Vegas’ incredible rise to power.
I was talking to somebody a while ago and I said I bet when the schedule comes out you’ve got to think the two expansion teams will start the season off. So, that’s how it is and it’s definitely going to be interesting. -Shea Theodore
Theodore is very familiar with Seattle. At age 15, in 2010, he was drafted by the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He would go on to play 257 games, score 212 points, become an alternate captain, and eventually earn the captaincy in 2014 after he was selected 26th overall by the Anaheim Ducks.
The Kraken are actually scheduled to play a preseason game at Theodore’s old home arena, the accesso ShoWare Center, on October 2nd. Shea said it would have been great to have been able to play in that game, but he’ll have to wait for his first crack at Seattle about two weeks later.
As for what he expects in that opening game and the Kraken as a whole, Theodore has learned his lesson.
I’m not putting any expectations. I went back a while ago and read all the articles that came out when we were an expansion team. And a couple of weeks ago somebody posted our opening day lineup and I don’t know how people can say we were gifted this team. I’m not putting any sort of quotes that they’ll label on the ice. I’m sure they’ll be a good team and they’ll compete and it’s going to be a good rivalry. -Theodore
No one truly expects the Kraken to mirror the success the Golden Knights saw in their inaugural season. But, like Theodore, no one with any memory of 2017-18 is going to completely rule it out either.
Tim
Shea Theadore the Vegas enigma. Great skater, always has his head up sounds great But he turns the puck over far to often he’s determined to consistently shoot from the blue line. Now if he could harass that talent cut down on turnovers and drive to the net he could be something special. I think he may be a little slow on the draw which causes him some problems.
THE hockey GOD
@ Tim
27 a major disappointment in semi’s, regression from prior playoff series. I think playing in too many semi’s in shortened season took a toll on this team. Along with the bad ice. Can never forget about the bad ice in middle of June in 100 plus weather.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
I thought that Theo had made great improvement in season 3. It seems he did drive to net more and make plays in offensive zone.
But after Petro joined the team last season, it seemed to affect Theo. As if his desire to drive the net etc… was taken over by the “new” guy?
knights fan in minny
save it for your new site your going to need it
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Well moocher, with over 100 “members” already, we’re not going to need much, son!
knights fan in minny
wow 100 did you pay them did you see your idol joe blunder walk away from the podium yesterday to afraid to answer questions on the disaster he created or was he to afraid to show his dementia your buddies ship is sinking you must be proud of your disaster friend joe border blunder
knights fan in minny
are you all there what the hell am i mooching do you know what moocher means is your dementia kicking in waiting for that invite for your new site
knights fan in minny
you must be proud to have voted for a prez with blood on his hands with more to come
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Hey moochman. When’s the last time you even posted anything to do with hockey?
Just stay in your basement, watching fox news and wacking off in your maga cap!
THE hockey GOD
#27 ran out of gas, plain and simple. The bad ice didn’t help either.
The whole team stopped hitting in the semi finals. Tuch was hurt didn’t hit anyone. Stone could barely skate two steps, 67 was a ghost out there. It’s like the whole team blew a flat tire.
Richard Santomauro
If it wasn’t for the bad ice comment, this ThG post would have actually made 100% sense! Yeah! BE GONE BAD ICE! BE GONE!
Tyler Durden
I see you’re living rent free in minny’s head.
They ain’t too bright in the midwest
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Ha ha ! 10-4 on that Tyler!
knights fan in minny
i bet you have to be a democrap to be on your site what is it called
knights fan in minny
get bent tyler
Daryl
Does that mean you will be following Doc to his site with him and his family of 100?
knights fan in minny
hell no
Daryl
Sorry, that was in reply to Tyler but it wouldn’t let me reply to his post
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Of course none of you will be following me to the new hockey site ….. because ….. you won’t be allowed on the site! ha ha
Ya’ll are stuck here!
Blitz
Oh I am definitely frequenting your site. Even if I have to hack your account. I am sure your password isn’t hard to guess. Maybe one of these:
HotSwede#90
Rob!nsGli$teningMember
Panda##Me
Daryl
Spoken like a true liberal… always trying to quiet the crowd that doesn’t agree with them!!! I’m not surprised
Daryl
@Blitz
Come on now, thats funny right there
knights fan in minny
hey dementia your boy sure looks good today with dead soldiers blood on his hands blunder joe is a complete failure just like your site will be
knights fan in minny
lucky us we wont have to listen to your babble your boy joe blunder with american soldiers blood on his hands you must be proud
knights fan in minny
no one wants to be on your fake site
THE hockey GOD
Bettman’s NHL draft rules are set up for getting out of the gate fast and then running out of gas because there is no way for an organization to build good depth and sustain it on the draft in a few short years.
I expect the Kraken to have an exceptionally , better than expected, good year unless they are plagues with covid or injuries. And like VGK (which will come in next few years with aging of of their veteran stars) they too will be hurting in a few years because you can not sustain winning unless 1) you get lucky with your prospects and 2) you have good depth to replace injured players. The kraken have two good first lines and big D men to block the lanes. They got a better player on D than the VGK did ( who drafted an aging and slow no5 who clearly did not last).
I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished 1 or 2 in the division. Even though I am not a big fan of Ron Francis, he was a solid reputation as team builder.
Richard Santomauro
Seattle is NOT finishing 1st, or 2nd. But, they do have Grub….. who is better than the Flopping Whale.
Daryl
Let’s not forget the wasted picks of Holden and Merrill???
Richard Santomauro
Sorry Shea, I am ruling it out.
Ryan Gaff
My wife’s boyfriend says it was mainly bad ice that caused him to struggle in the playoffs
THE hockey GOD
He’s a smart guy (and for the record I am not your wife’s boyfriend).
Wait a minute, your wife has a boy friend ?
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Oh crap blitz. Ya got all my passwords nailed.
I’m scared now! ha ha idiot!
knights fan in minny
hey doc how funny was that when dementia joe said he had a list of reporters he should call on today at his address to the people all it was a list for softball questions soldiers blood on joes hands
Daryl
This has happened several times with his conferences…. he has a list of names of reporters that he calls on to answer questions. His team gets the questions ahead of time so they can provide him with an answer instead of making him think of the answer himself. It’s pathetic and an embarrassment that he cannot even conduct a simple Q&A with reporters