Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore returns against Avalanche

Shea Theodore was back on the ice Tuesday at the morning skate with a small alteration to his equipment.

The Golden Knights defenseman wore a tinted visor, which could indicate the type of upper-body injury that kept Theodore out of the previous three games.

More likely, it’s just a coincidence since he wasn’t wearing it during the game against the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena.

Players with a history of concussions often wear tinted visors to reduce the effects of the bright lights inside the arena.

Forward David Perron, who has had multiple documented concussions during his career, used the darker shield during his time with the Knights and still wears it in St. Louis. The same goes for former Knights forward Cody Eakin, who now plays for Buffalo.

Colorado forward Matt Calvert, who deals with light sensitivity after sustaining multiple concussions, wore a pink-tinted visor this season.

Theodore has practiced with the darker shield on occasion in previous seasons, but Tuesday’s morning skate is believed to be the first time he’s worn it in 2021.

When asked previously about wearing the tinted visor, Theodore said it cut down on the brightness in some of the arenas.

“Just something I’ve been trying out for a while,” he said after the morning skate. “I think depending on the light situation, I know T-Mobile is pretty bright, but I’m not exactly sure. That’s just something I’m testing out.”

Theodore was involved in a collision with Anaheim’s Nicolas Deslauriers during the first period Feb. 9 and sat out the final 4:43 of the period after absorbing the hit.

He returned for the second period and assisted on Nicolas Roy’s goal to give the Knights a 4-1 lead. But Theodore did not take a shift in the third period of the 5-4 victory and sat out the rematch against the Ducks on Thursday.

Theodore was not on the trip for the game at San Jose on Saturday and was scratched from Sunday’s 1-0 home victory over Colorado.

Theodore had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games entering Tuesday and leads Knights defensemen in scoring.

“Anytime you miss games, you definitely miss being out there,” Theodore said. “It’s exciting to get back into the routine and be on the ice tonight.”

Picking their spot

Ryan Reaves has registered more hits than any other player in the NHL since 2017-18 — by a pretty wide margin, too — and linemate William Carrier ranked in the top 15.

But the two mainstays on the Meat Grinder Line aren’t throwing around their body as much this season.

Reaves ranked seventh in the league with 56 hits before Tuesday despite playing as many games as leader Radko Gudas of Florida. Carrier is well down the list at 40th overall with 34 hits.

As a team, the Knights rank 11th overall in hits after ranking in the top three the past two seasons.

“I think since last year we’re not chasing the hit as much,” Carrier said. “It’s a little bit different, but if one of those games shows up where we’ve got to be really physical, we’re ready for it.”

Krebs update

Silver Knights coach Manny Viveiros did not have a timetable for when forward Peyton Krebs would be departing the American Hockey League and returning to his junior team.

The Western Hockey League was granted approval last week for its East Division teams, which includes Krebs’ Winnipeg Ice, to play games in the hub city of Regina, Saskatchewan.

According to a statement from the WHL, players will begin quarantining Saturday and report to the hub Feb. 27. The regular season is expected to begin March 12.

Krebs, a first-round pick in 2019, has five points in four games for the Silver Knights. He is ineligible for the taxi squad.

Defenseman Kaedan Korczak also is expected to be returned to his WHL club, which is located in British Columbia and has not received clearance to begin play.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.