Let's yap about a potential Star: Zach Whitecloud

Dallas could use a right-shot defender. Enter one of the better ones.

When it comes to the blue line, I suspect people are hoping for a defensive version of Mikko Rantanen. Dallas needs that other big star. And sure, in Magical Christmas Land, the money might work landing Adam Fox in victory green since the Rangers are tearing things down to the studs. But not here. Which is why it’s so critical to just find players who can forge chemistry with their teammates; who can not just eat minutes, but win those minutes.

This is and has been a tall task for Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars’ pro scouting department. Cody Ceci, Jani Hakanpaa. Roman Polak. Matt Dumba. Ilya Lyubushkin. Sami Vatanen. Colin Miller. Ben Lovejoy. Sure, we’ve had Chris Tanev and Stephen Johns mixed in there, but those are the exceptions; definitely not the rule. Even now, Dallas’ top pair is saved by a left shot developing his game on the right side. For whatever reason, RHD for the Stars becomes the googly eyes on the three-headed dragon meme.

But things can change. And the market can change. That’s what makes former Golden Knight (now Calgary Flame), Zach Whitecloud, such a fascinating option. He is not a RHD also-ran. Far from it. But he’s also not an all-star. More than that, he’s not even a top four defender. The majority of his career has been spent on Vegas’ bottom pair. It wasn’t until recently, due to Vegas injuries, that Whitecloud was elevated into a top four rule.

But Whitecloud is worth highlighting precisely because he is not at all what he seems for all the reasons Dallas could use.