Zach Whitecloud

Zach Whitecloud (born November 28, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Of Dakota[1] descent, Whitecloud went undrafted while playing for Bemidji State University. As a college free agent, he signed with the Golden Knights in 2018.

Zach Whitecloud
Whitecloud in 2018
Born (1996-11-28) November 28, 1996
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team Vegas Golden Knights
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2018–present

Playing career

During his second full season with the Virden Oil Capitals, Whitecloud announced his commitment to play hockey for Bemidji State University.[2] Following his rookie year at Bemidji State, where he led defencemen in scoring, Whitecloud was invited to the Los Angeles Kings Development Camp before the 2017–18 NHL season.[3][4] Following his sophomore year at Bemidji, Whitecloud was named the 2017–18 WCHA Scholar-Athlete and named to the WCHA All-Academic Team.[5] He ended the season with 19 points and a team-best 51 blocked shots.[5]

Whitecloud was signed by the Golden Knights to a three-year, $4.475 million entry-level contract on March 8, 2018.[6][7] He played his first career NHL game on April 5, 2018 against the Edmonton Oilers.[8] He finished with a team-best plus-3 in 16:42 of ice time in a 4–3 loss to the Oilers.[9] Although the Golden Knights qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Whitecloud was ineligible to be on the roster since he was not on the team's reserve list by the trade deadline.[10]

While attending the Knights training camp prior to the 2018–19 season, Whitecloud was re-assigned to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.[11]

Late in the 2019-20 season Whitecloud established himself with Vegas and he and teammate Nick Holden were one of the best duos in the playoffs in terms of defense and possession. [12]

International play

Whitecloud was the youngest skater selected to play for Team Canada at the 2017 Karjala Cup in Finland.[13] He was later named to Team Canada's pre-Olympic roster before the 2018 Winter Olympics[14] but failed to make the final roster.

Personal life

Whitecloud was born in Brandon, Manitoba and raised in the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.[15] Growing up, he attended Vincent Massey High School from where he graduated in 2015.[16]

During the 2018 offseason, Whitecloud volunteered as a guest instructor at Micheal Ferland's Hockey School in Brandon, Manitoba, alongside Brigette Lacquette, Harley Garrioch, Jens Meilleur, Ryan Pulock, Tyler Plante, Shaq Merasty, Josh Elmes, and Joel Edmundson.[17]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Brandon Wheat Kings Midget MMHL 8 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2012–13 Central Plains Capitals Midget MMHL 43 1 5 6 92 2 0 0 0 0
2012–13 Portage Terriers MJHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Brandon Wheat Kings Midget MMHL 43 8 13 21 59 8 0 3 3 8
2013–14 Virden Oil Capitals MJHL 1 0 0 0 0 6 1 0 1 0
2014–15 Virden Oil Capitals MJHL 57 3 7 10 42 10 1 3 4 10
2015–16 Virden Oil Capitals MJHL 59 6 34 40 105 7 2 3 5 6
2016–17 Bemidji State University WCHA 41 3 14 17 41 — — — — —
2017–18 Bemidji State University WCHA 36 4 15 19 8 — — — — —
2017–18 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2018–19 Chicago Wolves AHL 74 6 22 28 52 22 3 12 15 11
2019–20 Chicago Wolves AHL 35 2 5 7 18 — — — — —
2019–20 Vegas Golden Knights NHL 16 0 1 1 4 20 2 1 3 6
NHL totals 170114 202136

International
Year Team Event Result   GPGAPtsPIM
2017 Canada Karjala 4th 20110
Senior totals 20110

Awards and honors
Award Year
WCHA All-Rookie Team 2016–17 [18]

References
  1. Friesen, Paul (March 13, 2018). "Beating the odds: Indigenous Whitecloud takes winding road to Vegas". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  2. "WHITECLOUD HEADING TO BEMIDJI". Virden Oil Capitals. January 1, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  3. Laskaris, Sam (July 11, 2017). "NHL teams giving Zach Whitecloud a serious look". windspeaker.com. Aboriginal Multi-Media Society. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  4. "2017 LA Kings Development Camp Roster Announced". NHL.com. June 26, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  5. "Zach Whitecloud". bsubeavers.com. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  6. "Golden Knights Sign Free Agent Defenseman Zach Whitecloud". Vegas Golden Knights. March 8, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  7. "Zach Whitecloud". CapFriendly. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  8. Carp, Steve (April 5, 2018). "Knights' rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud makes NHL debut". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  9. Monteith, Austin (April 5, 2018). "MEN'S HOCKEY: Whitecloud suits up for Golden Knights in NHL debut". The Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved April 18, 2018.(subscription required)
  10. "MEN'S HOCKEY: Whitecloud not on Vegas playoff roster". The Bemidji Pioneer. April 10, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.(subscription required)
  11. Schoen, David (September 21, 2018). "Golden Knights place goaltender Oscar Dansk on waivers". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  12. Webster, Danny. "Nick Holden among 10 players Golden Knights placed on waivers". knightsonice.com. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  13. Gearty, Alex (October 26, 2017). "Hockey Canada announces Karjala Cup roster". Sporting News. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  14. "FORMER OIL CAPS BLUELINER ZACH WHITECLOUD NAMED TO CANADIAN PRE-OLYMPIC ROSTER". Virden Oil Capitals. October 27, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  15. Hittinger, Jack (February 2, 2017). "Bemidji State freshman defenseman Whitecloud embraces Native heritage". West Fargo Pioneer. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  16. Wark, Robin (April 2, 2015). "Whitecloud honoured to be named one of the province's top aboriginal athletes". Westman Journal. Retrieved October 28, 2018. Whitecloud played high school hockey at Vincent Massey, where he will graduate from in June.
  17. "First ever Micheal Ferland Hockey School to be held in Brandon". bdnmb.ca. March 3, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  18. "Awards - NCAA (WCHA) Rookie All-Star Team". Elite Prospects. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
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