Korczak Looking to Reach His Full Potential in Pittsburgh

Kaeden Korczak was having coffee with his wife and in-laws on a calm Tuesday morning when he got a text from Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon asking the defenseman to call him.

That is when Korczak learned he had been traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon.

“When it first happened, my head was kind of spinning. There was just so many things to think about,” Korczak said. “I was lucky that it happened during the offseason. I can’t imagine if it was during the season, I have kids in school and all of that stuff. The guys here have done a great job of making it very easy on myself, and I’m very excited for the opportunity.”

After taking the rest of the offseason to digest, prepare, and transition to Pittsburgh, shipping his car was one of the final items on his to-do list. While getting ready for the team’s annual Summer Sticks event at the Allegheny Country Club, Korczak realized he had left some valuable equipment in his vehicle.

“My clubs were in there, so I had to golf with someone else’s clubs. That was kind of tough,” he said with a laugh.

Fortunately, the clubs have since arrived, and as an avid golfer, Korczak hopes to check out some courses around the area. He’s also a big sports fan in general, so Korczak has already been to Steelers and Pirates games.

“Just talking with people about the city, it’s just been a great reputation, great fanbase, great sports town,” Korczak said.

As for what brought him to Pittsburgh, management sees the 6-3 blueliner as checking all the right boxes in building out the blueline for both the present and the future.

Selected in the second round (41st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Korczak turned pro in the 2021-22 season, spent mainly with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. He spent time in both the NHL and the minors the following two seasons before joining Vegas full time in 2024-25 and ’25-26.

“I think from where I started, I just kind of wanted to be in the mix and kind of fit in and not feel embarrassed in that sense,” Korczak said. “Now it’s just kind of settling down, and the game has slowed down for myself. I felt last year I really took steps towards how I want to play in this league. With the opportunity here, I think I’ll be able to reach more of my full potential here coming up.”

Playing in a career-high 78 games (3 goals, 13 assists) last season with Vegas, Korczak found another gear in the playoffs, helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final.

“That was kind of my first taste of playoff hockey. It’s upped a notch, for sure,” Korczak said, who appeared in 13 playoff games. “Every round got tighter, and I think it was a great experience for myself to kind of get a taste of that.”

Now, joining a new organization for the first time in his career, there is a lot to be excited about in terms of what more the 25-year-old can unlock.

“Korczak’s a guy that we feel, with the age he's at, there's tons of upside there,” Penguins Assistant GM Jason Spezza said on the reasoning behind acquiring the defenseman. “He fits in really well with kind of that middle-aged group that we're really trying to acquire. Really solid defensively, and lots of untapped potential.”

What stands out to Korczak, who has been paired with Sam Girard during training camp, are some of the other names on the right side of the defense depth chart: specifically Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.

“I mean, they’ve been unreal D-men since I’ve been watching the NHL,” Korczak said. “Sitting next to (Karlsson), it’s just crazy. For myself being a more defensive-minded guy, getting to watch these guys in practice every day is going to be something special for me.”

And hopefully, in his own way, Korczak can follow in their footsteps.

“I was talking with Kyle (Dubas) and the coaches, and I’m excited to be a part of the group that’s kind of, hopefully, bringing that next step to the organization,” Korczak said. “They’ve got some Hall of Famers that can show us the way. I’m really excited for the opportunity to be a part of this new group, and hopefully we bring a Stanley Cup here one day.”