Shea Theodore is Back in the AHL… For Now
- Updated: February 9, 2016
After filling in nicely for the injured Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks top prospect Shea Theodore was sent back down to San Diego prior to the All-Star break. After posting mediocre numbers in the AHL for the first part of the season, Theodore had a pretty smooth transition to the NHL, immediately handling around 20 minutes of ice time per game and providing a spark to the power play with his quick, smart passing.
The Ducks went 9-3-1 when Shea Theodore played and according to some advanced stats, he had something to do with that success. Theodore’s Corsi For percentage was 57.9%, meaning the Ducks possessed the puck 57.9% of the time while he was on the ice in all situations. The fact that Theodore plays a good portion of his minutes on the power does skew that a little bit though, and both of his goals came on the power play, including the game winner against Ottawa. Beyond that, his Corsi Relative rating was 5.8, meaning the Ducks possessed the puck at a 5.8% higher rate while Theodore was one the ice than when he wasn’t. And that statistic only counts even strength situations, so “Theo” was helpful beyond man advantage situations.
As can often be the case with young players getting their first taste of the NHL, Theo’s demotion back to the AHL had more to do with roster logistics than his performance. The simplest solution for the Ducks was to send him to San Diego, instead of trading someone else that couldn’t be sent down without needing to clear waivers first. Back in San Diego, the Gulls have seemingly been boosted by Theo’s return, winning both games after the All-Star break. After being a part of the Gulls early season surge, and the Ducks mid season revival, it seems wherever Shea Theodore goes, wins follow. And while the arrival of John Gibson to the NHL stage certainly has lot to with that success as well, perhaps the Ducks needed exactly what Theo offers to take that extra step forward. His first career goal definitely sparked the team that night.
Theodore’s arrival also could have coincided with the Ducks trending up anyway. At the very least he helped the team avoid taking a step back while Cam Fowler was unavailable, which is worthy of acknowledgement by itself.
It will be interesting to see how Theodore does back in SD. If he performs well enough maybe he’ll force his way back to Anaheim. GM Bob Murray might want to keep the surplus of defenders currently on the Ducks roster exactly the way it is though, and only call up Theo if injuries strike again. With the team already essentially in survival mode, having a capable replacement ready and waiting could prove to be vital for the Ducks down the stretch. Whether the Ducks decide to trade from their blueline depth or need injury replacements again, it seems likely that one way or another Shea Theodore will be in the NHL again sometime soon.
Other Notes
-Check out CSN’s hockey master Jeff Duarte and his AHL All Star Game coverage here, as well as his interview with Ducks prospect Nick Ritchie here.
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