Theodore contract with Golden Knights not affected by Schmidt suspension

Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights are not rushing to negotiate a contract even though they will be without defenseman Nate Schmidt for the first 20 games of the NHL season.

Schmidt was suspended Sunday for violating the terms of the NHL/NHL Players' Association Performance Enhancing Substances Program. He and Theodore were two of the top six defensemen for the Golden Knights last season.
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"It's always best to have all of your guys available, but I don't feel any particular pressure," Vegas general manager George McPhee said Thursday. "We'll do a deal when the deal is right. If [Theodore is] not here, someone else will play."
Theodore, 23, is a restricted free agent but is not eligible for arbitration because he signed his entry-level contract at 18, meaning he has to play four professional seasons to reach arbitration; Theodore has played three.
"Hopefully we'll get something done sooner than later," McPhee said. "We're negotiating as best we can. It's an interesting part in our collective bargaining agreement that there's a group of players like Shea who don't have arbitration rights. And as much as some people dislike arbitration, I've always liked it because it's a tool to get a contract done."

Acquired by Vegas at the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft from the Anaheim Ducks for selecting defenseman Clayton Stoner, Theodore had NHL career highs in goals (six), assists (23) and points (29) in 76 games and played 20:21 per game in the Golden Knights inaugural season.
He had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping Vegas reach the Stanley Cup Final, which they lost to the Washington Capitals.
"People get pressured into getting a deal done or you go to arbitration," McPhee said. "There's a group of 10-15 good young players in the League that don't have arbitration rights and don't have contracts right now. And it just seems to take a while to work them out."