Zach Whitecloud contract: How much does the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman earns in salary?

Zach Whitecloud is the 26-year-old hockey defenseman for the National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Vegas Golden Knights. The hockey star has been winning the hearts of the fans since entering the rink.

Zach Whitecloud inked a six-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on October 28, 2021, for $16.5 million. The contract comprises $2.7 million in cap hit with an annual average salary of $2.7 million. Whitecloud earns $3 million in base salary and a minors salary of $3 million for the 2023-24 season.

Brandon native Zach Whitecloud, despite being undrafted, has still managed to play for well-renowned NHL teams, the Virden Oil Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, and the Vegas Golden Knights. He holds prolific records of 44 points in 186 games throughout 5 seasons. He also has 15 playoff points in 60 games till the present season of 2023-24. Whitecloud will be an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) by the end of 2027-28 when he turns 31.

Zach Whitecloud’s professional hockey career

After playing for the Virden Oil Capitals for two full seasons, Whitecloud made the crucial choice to commit to playing ice hockey for Bemidji State University. He showed off his abilities during his first season at Bemidji when he excelled as a defenseman and was the team's top scorer among defenders. The Los Angeles Kings invited him to their development camp before the 2017–18 NHL season because of his outstanding performance.

Whitecloud excelled in his academic and athletic endeavors during his sophomore at Bemidji. In addition to being named to the WCHA All-Academic Team, he was recognized as the 2017–18 WCHA Scholar-Athlete. He led the club with 51 blocked shots and scored 19 points throughout the season to demonstrate his defensive skills.

The Vegas Golden Knights signed Whitecloud to a three-year, entry-level contract after spotting his potential on March 8, 2018. He played his first NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 5, 2018. Zach Whitecloud excelled despite a 4-3 defeat by posting a team-best plus-3 rating. Sadly, he wasn't added to the team's reserve list before the trade deadline, he was ineligible for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Whitecloud went to the Knights' training camp to prepare for the 2018–19 campaign. He was then sent to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL), though. Towards the close of the 2019–20 campaign, Whitecloud firmly established his place on the squad of the Vegas Golden Knights and still continues to be an essential part of the team.