Zach Whitecloud pays it forward, returns to Bemidji after winning Stanley Cup

Jul. 17—Zach Whitecloud never pictured himself in a scene like the one he was in last Thursday at The Tavern on South Shore.

The former Bemidji State and current Vegas Golden Knights defenseman walked into the bar and grill connected to the Sanford Center and sat at the displayed table near the back of the restaurant. The 26-year-old Stanley Cup champion signed autographs and took pictures for nearly 800 people.

Whitecloud was 30 days removed from winning hockey's grandest prize, becoming the second Bemidji State alum to

hoist the Stanley Cup.

His celebration tour brought him back to Bemidji, where supporters showed up in droves to meet the blueliner.

"(During) my time in Bemidji, having been here for two years, I tried to be involved in the community," Whitecloud said. "I tried to do my part on the ice and help the team be successful and be a part of the culture here that's been going on for how long, right? So it's something I'm always proud of. And, obviously, I'm lucky to be able to do what I do for a living. And part of that is having the ability to give back to communities that I've played in or where I've been. I take a lot of pride in doing that. It's something that I like to do."

Whitecloud also linked up with his former BSU teammates to play in the Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament. While admitting he doesn't return as often as he'd like, last weekend showed why he holds Bemidji so close to his heart.

"I think it's been like five or six years now since I signed out of college," Whitecloud said. "Summers get busy, and you try to make it back as much as possible. But it's a good reminder of all the people you knew, and you get to catch up with and see what everyone's been doing. I'm definitely going to try and make a better effort to come back every year. It's just great getting to see the guys and just see everyone. It's been really good."

Whitecloud played in 77 games in over two seasons for the Beavers. He opted to sign with Vegas during the expansion team's inaugural season, debuting on April 5, 2018, against the Edmonton Oilers. Since then, he's become an important piece for a perennial Stanley Cup contender.

In 247 games played for the Golden Knights, Whitecloud has amassed 20 goals and 39 assists. In the summer of 2022, he signed a six-year contract extension with an annual value of $2.75 million, locking him into Vegas' core through the 2027-28 season.

"Honestly, it's the same feeling that I have of being a Bemidji State alum," Whitecloud said about playing for the Golden Knights. "Take pride in where you play and the logo on the front (of the jersey), right? I'm proud to be a part of the culture that we've built in Las Vegas. It's a city and a market that players want to come to.

"We've got the best fan base in the league. It's amazing to play there every night. On the road, we got fans in the building every single game, and you hear them during the anthem. We're about winning, obviously, but we're about culture, too. It's just the best place to play."

Whitecloud's love for Vegas paid dividends on June 13. The Golden Knights notched a 9-3 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, bringing hockey's most coveted prize to the desert for the first time in franchise history.

"To be honest with you, I just blacked out," Whitecloud said of lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. "I constantly look back at pictures and try to remember what I was thinking. It's like you're looking at something that you used to see in a video game."

Whitecloud

scored the game-winning goal

in a 5-2 victory in Game 1. Now, his name is etched on the Stanley Cup. He joined Joel Otto, Bemidji State's first alum to win the NHL's top prize with the Calgary Flames in 1989. 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.

"It was pretending you won it on the outdoor rinks, in the backyard, in street hockey, all that sort of stuff," Whitecloud continued. "To lift it and see your teammates lift it, and just how much joy that brings to everyone and just knowing that you're going to be brothers for life — before that, too, obviously — but even more so, you just have that commonality where you can say you won the Cup together. All your names are on that cup together. It's pretty cool. (Our names are) on there for 65 years. It's unbelievable."

Becoming a Stanley Cup champion wasn't always in the cards for Whitecloud. The Brandon, Manitoba, native didn't see his hockey career lasting beyond the collegiate level. However, while at Bemidji State, he caught the attention of NHL scouts.

"Probably my second year (at BSU) is when I think a lot of teams started reaching out," Whitecloud said. "The teams were getting a sense of who I was as a person. They could see who I was on the ice, the hockey player and stuff like that. But scouting is getting to know the person, too. I like to think I'm a pretty modest human being. I like to just lay low and do that sort of stuff, right? There was a lot of attention coming my way, and I think that's when I kind of realized maybe I can make a living out of this."

Whitecloud's character is rooted in his heritage. He's the first hockey player from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation to reach the NHL. Who he is and where he comes from was put on display during an ESPN broadcast on May 8.

Longtime SportsCenter anchor John Anderson said, "What kind of name is Whitecloud? Great name if you're a toilet paper," while highlighting a Vegas win in the second round of the postseason. Whitecloud, who scored his first goal of the 2022-23 playoffs in that game, was given a chance to talk about his heritage,

showing grace

in an otherwise troubling situation.

"My family members supported me," Whitecloud added. "And yeah, obviously, it was a tough situation, right? But at the same time, I take a lot of pride in where I come from, who I am, my culture and all those sorts of things. You don't want to have to speak up in those scenarios, right? You don't. But at the same time, it's standing up for my entire culture. It's not necessarily speaking for everyone, but just using my platform."

Whitecloud's championship path was also forged through recent years of heartbreak. As a member of the Golden Knights for nearly the entirety of the franchise's history, Whitecloud suffered his fair share of gutting postseason losses. He played significant minutes in back-to-back Western Conference runner-up finishes in 2020 and 2021. Both series ended with overtime defeats.

"The goal isn't to make it to the first round," Whitecloud said. "You want to win it every time. Every time you make it to the next round in the playoffs, it's not only team experience but also individual experience that passes down through the lineup. Having been on this team and going through those experiences in the playoffs, going to the conference finals twice and not getting over that hump, it gives you those life lessons for when you do get there again. It allows you, as a team, to push through that."

Whitecloud plans to spend his allotted day with the cup in Brandon. He's a committed professional that recognizes his roots. Every stop along the way, including Bemidji, played a crucial role in his success.

"It just goes to show what kind of community we have here in Bemidji and the support there is for Beaver hockey and how they support the players," Whitecloud said about the turnout for the autograph signing. "It's good to see a lot of familiar faces and meet some of the Beaver hockey fans. It's pretty special."