Golden Knights defensemen ‘mesh’ well as top pair since McNabb injury

TORONTO — There’s no easy answer on how to replace the injured Brayden McNabb.

The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t have to worry about that for nearly 300 consecutive games. Suddenly, they have to go at least a month trying to figure it out.

The stopgap answer has two responsibilities: Play responsible, and get the puck to Shea Theodore.

Jeremy Lauzon has filled in that role admirably.

“They just mesh,” Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said.

Dialing it back

By stature, Lauzon (6 feet 3 inches, 225 pounds) is the ideal replacement for McNabb (6-4, 215). There’s no drop-off in physicality. You don’t need to hesitate asking Lauzon to deliver a check.

But if Lauzon was going to handle the responsibility of top-pairing minutes, he needed to rein in his game.

Not taking penalties, for example. Lauzon leads the Knights with 13 minor penalties and 17 overall.

Being the first line of defense. Lauzon has a team-high 12 games where his plus-minus was in the negative.

Since Lauzon and Theodore started skating together Jan. 10, Lauzon has passed both of those tests.

He’s been penalized twice in eight games.

Only one was a minor. The other was a quick dropping of the gloves with Boston’s Mark Kastelic after Kastelic took a run at Theodore on Thursday.

He and Theodore have been plus players in four games and only a minus once. Lauzon was a plus-3 in a 7-2 win in San Jose on Jan. 11. Not to mention Lauzon has three assists.

“I’ve played games with (Roman) Josi in Nashville,” Lauzon said. “Kind of a similar player. Both driven offensively. I feel I mesh well with guys like that on my pairing.”

Lauzon said Theodore’s reads and his intelligence are things to marvel at now that he’s played with him up close.

“The game comes way easier playing with a guy of that caliber,” Lauzon said. “He’s unbelievable to play with and he makes my job easy.”

Theodore’s return to form

And he’s gotten Theodore the puck to let him work. Theodore has six points and is a plus-11 since returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for almost a month.

“The physicality he brings, and you know I like to move the puck,” Theodore said. “It kind of ends up working well.”

Theodore and McNabb have been tied at the hip for the majority of their Knights’ careers.

There’s never been a worry if McNabb had to skate with someone else. No matter if it’s a young defenseman in Kaedan Korczak, one not known for offense in Zach Whitecloud or another veteran like it was with Alex Pietrangelo, McNabb could line up with anyone.

There wasn’t that body of work for Theodore. McNabb was the luxury, having played 298 straight games before leaving Dec. 31 against Nashville with an upper-body injury.

McNabb has been ruled out for the Knights’ remaining seven games until the Olympic break.

“With (McNabb) being out, it’s a little different,” Theodore said. “I think we’ve done a good job with the matchups that we’ve had.”

Playing at another level

This version of Theodore can play with anyone. Theodore has learned to prioritize five-on-five. He’s on the penalty kill more than he ever has.

He’s adapted his game more than anyone since Pietrangelo (hip) went on long-term injured reserve.

Lauzon’s effectiveness with Theodore gives the Knights a full complement of defensemen, especially now that Rasmus Andersson has joined the team following his immigration paperwork delay.

Cassidy said a big part of it is Lauzon is starting to get more comfortable. He missed nearly all of training camp, then missed 14 games with an undisclosed injury dating back to November.

“He’s kind of found his rhythm of playing every night with different partners,” Cassidy said. “Now it’s Theo that can really complement his skill set. I think it’s as simple as that.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.