Golden Knights sign Whitecloud to 6-year extension

The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Zach Whitecloud to a six-year, $16.5-million contract extension, the team announced Thursday.

The 24-year-old was set to become a restricted free agent following the 2021-22 campaign.

Whitecloud signed with Vegas in 2018 after finishing his collegiate career at Bemidji State. He's appeared in 72 contests for the Golden Knights and registered career highs in games (51), points (12), and average ice time (17:49) last season.

Whitecloud is currently on injured reserve as he recovers from an upper-body injury.