Zach Whitecloud

Whitecloud suffered an injury during training camp and ended up missing the first month of the season. He was in the lineup most nights the rest of the way, appearing in 61 games and posting two goals and 14 points. Whitecloud added a career-best 129 hits and 105 blocked shots for good measure. Now set to begin his seventh NHL season, Whitecloud is likely to battle fellow veterans Robert Hagg and Ben Hutton for one spot on Vegas' third defensive pair. He should be considered the favorite, but even if Whitecloud emerges victorious, he won't have any fantasy value.

The Golden Knights have enjoyed a steady and strong defense in recent years, and that stability in the top four is likely a major reason as to wy Whitecloud remains on the third pairing. The 26-year-old had 12 points, 90 hits, 97 blocked shots, 64 shots on goal and a plus-10 rating in 59 contests in 2022-23 -- numbers that are fine for his role but will hardly move the needle in fantasy. He can move into a top-four role when injuries arise, though head coach Bruce Cassidy often was reluctant to break up established pairings last season. Whitecloud should be in the lineup for most games, but he's unlikely to score his way into fantasy relevance.

Whitecloud was banged up all season, as multiple ailments limited him to just 59 games for the Golden Knights. He was reasonably productive when healthy, managing eight goals, 19 points and an excellent plus-21 rating, all while averaging a career-high 18:48 per game. Whitecould doesn't offer enough production in any single category to make him a reliable fantasy option, but the 25-year-old rearguard should have a regular spot in Vegas' lineup this coming year, health permitting.

Whitecloud established himself as an NHL regular last season, contributing 12 points, 85 hits and 75 blocked shots in 51 games. The Golden Knights remain deep on defense with Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore on the right side, so Whitecloud probably won't play above the second pairing in 2021-22. The 24-year-old blueliner remains a physical presence -- at 6-foot-2 and nearly 210 pounds, the big-bodied defenseman is more of an asset in his own zone. With an 82-game schedule ahead, the Manitoba native could produce upwards of 20 points, 120 hits, 100 blocked shots and a positive plus-minus rating, which could be enough to be worth a look in deeper fantasy formats that reward physical play.

Whitecloud was unintriguing in the regular season with one assist in 16 games, but he became an integral part of the Golden Knights' defense in the playoffs. He only had three points in 20 games, but saw his ice time jump to 16:57 per game. Whitecloud should see third-pairing minutes on a nightly basis in 2020-21, but there's little reason for fantasy managers to get excited. He's still unproven as a scoring option in the NHL, and the 24-year-old blueliner hasn't etched his name on the scoresheet a ton in the minors with 35 points in 109 games over two years with AHL Chicago. Don't expect more than 15 points from the young defenseman this season, and he also likely won't post notable non-scoring numbers, either.

Whitecloud signed a three-year, $4.475 million entry-level contract with the Golden Knights in March but was ineligible to be on the team's playoff roster. The 21-year-old rearguard put together another successful campaign with Bemidji State in the NCAA in 2017-18 and appears ready to make the jump to professional hockey. Whitecloud was passed over by all 30 clubs in the 2015 and 2016 NHL draft and will want to prove he can be a contributor at the NHL level. He likely won't make much of a fantasy impact in 2018-19, but Whitecloud could be one to watch in the coming years as he tries to carve out a role at the professional level