'I went with my heart': Zach Whitecloud talks about decision to sign with NHL's Las Vegas Golden Knights
Brandon-born Dakota hockey player hopes to inspire other young hockey players
Less than a week after signing a deal to play with the NHL's Las Vegas Golden Knights, Brandon-born Zach Whitecloud is still waiting for his first chance to see the lights of Vegas.
The 21-year-old defenceman joined his new team in Buffalo Friday where he took part in his first NHL practice Saturday afternoon. But he'll have to wait until the team returns home from a five-game road trip Tuesday to finally see his new digs.
He says he's never been to Vegas before.
"My mom never would let me go," he laughed over Skype from a hotel room in Philadelphia Sunday, where he was staying with the Golden Knights before their Monday match with the Flyers.
Whitecloud, a Dakota man who has been playing hockey since the age of two, said he wasn't sure whether or not he would be lacing up his skates for his first NHL game in the tilt against Philadelphia.
"I'm taking things day-by-day here," he said.
Big decisions
It's been a whirlwind week for Whitecloud, who met his new teammates less than 48-hours after deciding to sign a three-year, entry-level contract with the Golden Knights late Wednesday.
He says the team's offer was among a few he had to choose between.
"For me it came down to opportunity and the culture that they're going through right now," he said of the choice. "You kind of take everything into account and check off all your boxes that you want to check off for when you're choosing a team and they hit every box on the head.
"I went with my heart and I picked the right place."
Whitecloud admits the Golden Knight's successful inaugural season — they set an expansion team points record late last month — played a part in his decision.
"They're winning and they're a new team to this league so it ultimately came down to opportunity purposes for me."
Whitecloud recently finished his sophomore year with Bemidji State, where he scored four goals and 14 assists in 36 games.
In November 2017 he suited up for Team Canada in the 2017 Karjala Cup, where he had one assist in two games.
The tournament in Finland was a chance for Team Canada officials to evaluate potential players for the Olympic team and Whitecloud was invited to tryout for the national team, although he didn't end up making the team.
Stick with it
Whitecloud says he's dreamed of making it to the NHL over his 19 years of playing hockey, and he hopes he can be an inspiration to other young players in Manitoba currently working their way up through the ranks.
He says it wasn't always easy — he was cut by his hometown team two years in a row — but he never gave up trying and that's what he wants to impart on younger players.
"Ultimately that's where my attitude was created and that's where I established that work ethic to strive for the best no matter what happens," he said. "I think it puts a little bit of hope out there for a lot of kids who are going through a lot of ups and downs who are thinking maybe it's not worth it.
"If you dream of something hard enough and want it hard enough you can get there."
