Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore out week-to-week; Jack Eichel day-to-day

Some updates on two of the more important players on the Vegas Golden Knights roster.

When speaking to the media on Friday, head coach Bruce Cassidy revealed that defenseman Shea Theodore is out week-to-week, with forward Jack Eichel remaining out day-to-day.

Cassidy noted that both players won’t be on the Golden Knights’ trip to Alberta, when the team is set to face the Calgary Flames on Saturday and the Edmonton Oilers the following day.

Theodore has been out since earlier in the week due to an upper-body injury. Cassidy noted that his injury is worse than the team first expected.

“Theo is week-to-week, won’t travel. He’s going to be ok, but maybe a little longer than first thought. … I don’t think this will be a long one (on Theodore), but I don’t want to speak out of turn. I know he wants to play in the Olympics and I don’t think this will impact that at all.”

The 30-year-old has notched four goals and 16 assists for 20 points, registering a plus/minus of +5 while averaging a hair over 24 minutes of ice time per game, a number he’s never reached in any previous season in his first 10 years in the league.

Eichel was initially ruled out for the Golden Knights’ game on Wednesday night against the New Jersey Devils due to an illness, which forced him to leave practice on Tuesday. Cassidy clarified that Eichel is also suffering from a lower-body injury.

“[Eichel] wasn’t feeling well the other day and there’s a lot going on,” Cassidy stated. “So that’s what’s going on with Jack, maybe next week we’ll see where it’s at.”

Eichel has been playing at a near-MVP level this year, giving the team a sense that it can contend for the Stanley Cup. With 12 goals and 29 assists so far, Eichel sits tied for ninth in the NHL with 41 points. He’s also tied for eighth in assists. The Hobey Baker Award winner was riding a five-game point streak, in which the 29-year-old totaled a goal and nine points over that span.

The Golden Knights (16-6-10) are first in the Pacific Division, just ahead of the Anaheim Ducks.