Looking at some options for who can play alongside Nicolas Hague while his defense partner is out with injury.

LAS VEGAS – Zach Whitecloud was shutdown for the rest of preseason and could miss the first few games of the regular season with an upper-body injury.

The Golden Knights are deep at defenseman, meaning they have plenty of options ready to go if Whitecloud is going to miss significant time.

There’s always Ben Hutton, who will likely break camp as the team’s seventh defenseman. Last season, the Hutto-Hague duo played 14 times together, so it is possible Hutton slides into the role.

But there is also the case for younger players such as Kaedan Korczak and Brayden Pachal.

Both fit the right defenseman spot more naturally than moving Hague or Hutton to the right side, and both have NHL experience.

Korczak got the call in the Golden Knights’ 3-1 preseason victory. He played well, tallying a secondary assist and firing off four shots.

“He's serving on his toes. Finding his shot, shooting lane,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Not over supporting pucks. He did a good job. He's trying to close people off. A marginal call on the interference, but he's trying to do the right thing.”

Pachal is another option. He played in 10 games last season for the Golden Knights with two assists.

No matter who the Golden Knights go with to replace Whitecloud, the Golden Knights have options.

It’s just a matter of sorting them out, which is what the preseason is for. 

Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vegas Golden Knights site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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