Zach Whitecloud, who spent much of his upbringing on the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, joined a group of Stanley Cup winners of Indigenous descent including Hockey Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier and Grant Fuhr when three of his eight points in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs came in the Stanley Cup Final to help the Golden Knights defeat the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5. Whitecloud became the second defenseman in 22 years and 11th in the NHL modern era (since 1943-44) to score the game-winning goal in the opening game of the Final.

After playing played three seasons with the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Whitecloud then moved on to Bemidji State University in Minnesota. In two NCAA seasons Whitecloud had 36 points (seven goals, 29 assists) in 77 games.

Whitecloud signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on March 8, 2018, and made his NHL debut a month later, playing 16:42 against the Edmonton Oilers on April 5, 2018.
He played all of 2018-19 with Chicago of the American Hockey League, finishing with 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 74 games and leading the AHL with a plus-39 rating.

In the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs, Whitecloud led all defensemen with 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 22 games the most by an AHL rookie defenseman since Alex Goligoski had 28 points with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2008.

Whitecloud started 2019-20 in the AHL and had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 35 games. He was recalled by the Golden Knights on Feb. 1 and got his first NHL point Feb. 28 against the Buffalo Sabres, an assist on a third-period goal by Reilly Smith in a 4-2 victory. In 16 games Whitecloud averaged 14:19 of ice time and had a plus-3 rating.

Vegas Golden Knights bio: https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/player/zach-whitecloud-8480727