LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Zach Whitecloud has become like a household name for VGK fans, thanks to his nearly eight-season tenure with the team.
The defenseman is the closest thing to an Original Misfit without being one. Whitecloud joined the Knights in 2018 in the latter half of the inaugural 2017-18 season.
Along the way, Whitecloud has provided depth for the Vegas defense and has been to the Stanley Cup Finals, helping the team win it all in 2023. He has also been active in giving back to the community, especially with pet adoption.
You wouldn't think the Manitoba, Canada native was connected to Las Vegas before arriving to play for the Golden Knights. But Whitecloud revealed to Channel 13's Nick Walters that ending up in Vegas was quite the coincidence.
"The funny story about where I grew up and how my parents kind of operated was my dad always came down here for a billiards tournament," Whitecloud said. "My mom would never let me tag along because she thought Vegas wasn't a place for kids. So I even when I got to 18 or 19, I never ended up making it there. Then ended up playing here."