Zach Whitecloud

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