Shea Theodore has something to prove in Sin City.

The 21-year-old Aldergrove Minor Hockey product is changing hockey addresses this fall 鈥� at least he hopes to be.

First, Theodore has to stick with the Vegas Golden Knights, who acquired the smooth-skating blueliner from the Anaheim Ducks on June 21.

Theodore told the Times on Tuesday that the trade came as 鈥渁 big shock.鈥�

鈥淚 had no idea,鈥� Theodore said. 鈥淵ou could definitely say I was pretty shocked.鈥�

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The cost of the Ducks keeping some of their talented young core came at Theodore鈥檚 expense.

The Knights were slated to select one player from each of the 30 existing NHL teams with the hockey clubs forced to expose some talented and intriguing options.

Theodore, who turns 22 this August, was exempt from the draft process as a player had to be of a particular age or have a certain amount of NHL or pro experience.

The Golden Knights acquired Theodore and in exchange stayed away from certain Anaheim players. Instead, they selected Ducks defenceman Clayton Stoner.

鈥淭his was a long process, but we felt we made a trade that works for both teams,鈥� Anaheim general manager Bob Murray told the team鈥檚 website.

鈥淰egas will be pleased as well, acquiring a good young prospect in Shea. Our needs aligned and we were able to work out a deal.鈥�

With the shock of being dealt having worn off for the most part, Theodore now has his sights set on the Golden Knights鈥� training camp. He realizes there will be a ton of competition, and that he isn鈥檛 a lock to be pencilled into the expansion squad鈥檚 lineup on opening night.

鈥淚鈥檓 extremely excited,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a good opportunity. They鈥檝e got a lot of defencemen, so I鈥檓 just going to go into camp and try to make the roster. I鈥檓 an offensive guy that can help the team (in that way) so I鈥檓 looking forward to trying to do that.鈥�

Training camp will be a huge test for Theodore, who will be battling established NHLers including Deryk Engelland, Jason Garrison, Brayden McNabb, Luca Sbisa, Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, and Jon Merrill, among others, for a place on the team鈥檚 blueline.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure what to expect when I get there,鈥� Theodore admitted. 鈥淓very training camp I鈥檝e been to has been a pretty good grind. It鈥檚 a challenge for sure with more guys than usual competing for a roster spot. It鈥檚 always fun but it鈥檚 going to be a grind.鈥�

Theodore has something to prove this season, not only to his new team, but to his old one, as well.

鈥淥bviously when you get traded you want to prove your (former) team wrong, that they should have kept you,鈥� he said.

鈥淔rom what I understand, it wasn鈥檛 their choice and they were not happy about trading me. It鈥檚 my job to make them regret their decision, so it鈥檚 going to be a good challenge.鈥�

In 53 career NHL games, the six-foot-one, 194-pound defenceman has five goals and 17 points.

Theodore found his stride in the 2017 post-season by tallying twice while adding six assists in 14 contests.

He described this past season as up and down, bouncing between the Ducks and their American Hockey League affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

But playing a regular role with a Ducks squad that made it all the way to the third round of the playoffs before bowing out to the Stanley Cup finalist Nashville Predators gave Theodore a wealth of valuable experience.

鈥淚 played pretty strong in the playoffs, so I鈥檒l take that momentum with me into next year,鈥� Theodore said. 鈥淕etting to play all the way to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is something not many people can say they鈥檝e done. I鈥檓 definitely going to take that experience with me next year.鈥�

This summer, Theodore is training in Burnaby with 鈥渁 lot of other pro guys who I鈥檝e been playing with and against in the American (Hockey) League, and who I鈥檝e been training with for quite a while.鈥�

As for potentially living in Las Vegas, and all the trappings it might bring, Theodore鈥檚 focus is his job as a hockey player, not extracurricular activities.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know too much about Las Vegas,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y parents went there on a vacation. I鈥檝e definitely heard nothing but good things about the team.鈥�

Theodore, who played major junior with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, was originally a in the 2013 NHL entry draft.