One defenseman has stepped up to the plate and made a name for himself since joining the organization in 2019. Kaedan Korczak came back as a veteran with professional hockey experience under his belt and he stepped on the ice with more confidence than his first time around when he showed up to camp in Summerlin last July. His seniority at camp had a large presence on the ice and his leadership allowed him to support some of the new players in 2022.
"I've been trying to help all the young guys because I've been in their shoes before." Korczak said. "I had guys that I looked up to such as Zach Whitecloud and Nic Hague and they made it easy for me when I first started. I just want to do the same thing for the other guys."
The Saskatchewan native was drafted 41st overall by the Golden Knights in 2019 and has become a key part of the organization's depth at defense.
"We've been watching him, he's a composed player and seems to do everything well," said Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. "We probably need to see him down the road against professional competition to see how close he is. Whether it's a call-up situation or right out of camp in competition against other guys. He's certainly a player that would be right there."
Many fans may be familiar with the defenseman from his tenure on the Henderson Silver Knights, playing 47 games with two goals and 12 assists this past season. The support that radiates from the fans left a mark on Korczak.
"I think that the fan base is unreal. When we opened up The Dollar Loan Center, there wasn't a better rink in the American Hockey League than that," said Korczak. "That says something about the fans here. They not only support the Golden Knights, but also the Silver Knights. They're very energetic and supportive; they're fantastic."
Korczak's progress as a defenseman earned him a call up to the Vegas Golden Knights in February for a game against the Buffalo Sabres. While he was up with the NHL club, he soaked up information from his teammates like a sponge, but specifically enjoyed learning from his defensive partner, Shea Theodore.
"I was able to get a taste of the quality of players and how fast everything is," Korczak said. "I was lucky enough to play with Theodore and learned little things from him that I took back to Henderson and improved my game there."
The road to success in the NHL is not an easy journey, but Korczak has shown his ability to approach each situation with confidence and willingness to embrace what is to come. As the 2022-23 season comes quickly for Korczak, it's the opportunity to show how far he's come that will propel him into the year.
