Korczak rewards Rockets
Rockets’ brass happy with young defenceman after draft-day deal to land him in 2016
Kelowna Rockets’ general manager Lorne Frey knew defenceman Kaedan Korczak was going to be special.
It’s why he made a bold move at the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft to snag the Yorkton, Sask., product.
The Rockets traded the 20th pick overall and a third-round selection to the Red Deer Rebels to grab Korczak in the 11th spot. It's a move that the Rockets haven't regretted making since.
Korczak cracked the Rockets’ lineup at 16 last season, and he didn’t disappoint putting up three goals, 13 assists and 44 penalty minutes in 67 games.
Korczak would’ve played in more games with the Rockets, but he was invited to play for Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. His team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Sweden, but the young defender had the chance to play a shutdown role against the likes of Jack Hughes and other top prospects.
He didn’t get nearly as long of a summer break as his teammates, because he was invited to Hockey Canada’s Summer Selection Camp for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
The then 17-year-old earned a spot on Canada’s summer under-18 team at the July camp. He helped Canada to a 5-0 record and a gold medal in Edmonton last August. Korczak said it was an unbelievable experience.
“Obviously, playing with the best guys in the country for our age group, just seeing how they handled themselves and prepared for games, I think it helped shape me for how I’m playing today,” he said.
Standing six-foot-three and weighing 192 pounds, the defenceman’s on-ice stature can’t be ignored. But he’s also developing leadership skills off the ice. Korczak was named one of the team’s alternate captains. He says that it's an honour to wear an “A” on his jersey.
“It’s nice to be recognized as a leader on this team, especially looking at all of the other guys that have had leadership roles in past years. It means a lot to me to have that role on the team.”
This season, the steady defender has a career-best 26 points (three goals and 23 assists) to go along with 55 penalty minutes in 60 games.
He was invited to suit up for Team Orr at the CHL Top Prospects Game where he helped his team come back from a threegoal deficit to defeat Team Cherry 5-4.
Korczak was ranked 31st amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in its mid-season rankings. He says that he’s excited to hear his name called in June at the NHL draft in Vancouver.
“The biggest thing is I just want to be drafted — it doesn’t matter where to. I’m looking forward to it, but there’s still lots for me to do before then.”
Korczak is correct; there is lots of work before the draft. The Rockets still have eight regular-season games remaining hoping to improve on third place in the B.C. Division.
Three of those games will be played in as many nights this weekend.
Kelowna heads to Vancouver to face the Giants on Friday before returning home to host the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday and Sunday.
Head coach Adam Foote says after a pair of wins last weekend — 4-3 in a shootout over the Spokane Chiefs and 2-0 over the Kamloops Blazers — he has changed his approach to the extended layoff.
“I haven’t liked our games after these gaps,” Foote said. “What we’re going to do is break down into smaller groups. We’ll work more on skills, so we don’t tire them out or have them get bored.”
Coming with Portland is WHL’s leading scorer, Joachim Blichfeld. He has 51 goals and 52 assists in 60 games.