High-scoring forward Korczak returned to Warriors by New York Rangers
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,W PLJKW KDYH WDNHQ 5\GHU .RUF]DN D FRXple of extra days to arrive in the Friendly City, but there the overage forward was on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 17, taking the ice with the Moose Jaw Warriors for WKH ¿UVW WLPH VLQFH EHLQJ DVVLJQHG WR WKH Western Hockey League club by the New .RUF]DN RSWHG WR PDNH WKH KRXU drive from Hartford, where he was playLQJ ZLWK WKH 5DQJHUV¶ $PHULFDQ +RFNH\ /HDJXH DI¿OLDWH DIWHU EHLQJ DVVLJQHG WR Moose Jaw at the beginning of the week.. “I’m actually with my girlfriend so it ZDV QLFH MXVW URWDWLQJ ZLWK KHU ´ .RUF]DN said shortly after getting off the ice from KLV ¿UVW SUDFWLFH ³7KH URDGV ZHUHQ¶W WKH greatest, but at least we got done with it… It was three days of travelling, so three off GD\V EXW LW ZDV GH¿QLWHO\ QLFH VHHLQJ WKH guys and getting back at it.” The move was naturally a bit of a bittersweet one for the Yorkton product -.RUF]DN KDG PDGH LW D JRDO WR GH¿QLWLYHly crack Hartford’s line-up in his rookie season, but ended up playing sporadically since joining the team out of New York’s WUDLQLQJ FDPS 7KDW WUDQVODWHG LQWR ¿YH games and no points through the Wolf Pack’s 12 outings so far this season. “They wanted me to be a top-six forward and they obviously didn’t have the room in Hartford, so they decided to send PH EDFN WR MXQLRU ´ .RUF]DN VDLG RI WKH 5DQJHUV¶ GHFLVLRQ ³,¶P KDSS\ DERXW LW , mean, I’d obviously rather be in Hartford, but if I’m not playing top-six minutes there, it’s a chance to play top-six minutes here. It’s going to be a change, but I’m excited for it.” It’s also a bit of a strange situation in WKDW .RUF]DN LV JRLQJ IURP DQ DEVROXWH rookie in the Hartford line-up to a noGRXEW ERQD ¿GH OHDGHU RQ WKH LFH ZLWK WKH Warriors. ³,W¶V FUD]\ DQG LW¶V OLNH , ZDV VD\LQJ earlier to the guys, you’re playing against men in the AHL so I’m going to try and rip off a couple of good habits I picked up DQG EULQJ WKHP KHUH ´ .RUF]DN VDLG ³, OLNH to lead by example, so if guys watch me hopefully they can pick up a little bit.” One fortunate aspect of being in the LQWHUQHW HUD LV WKDW .RUF]DN LV SOHQW\ IDmiliar with this edition of the Warriors already -- not only just through being with the team the past three seasons, but also by watching the WHL Live broadcasts of Moose Jaw games whenever he could. “I tried to watch every game,” .RUF]DN VDLG ³, OLNH WR ZDWFK KRFNH\ DQG if NHL games aren’t on, I’d watch Moose Jaw. It looks like this is a pretty good team, we have lots of draft picks and signed guys, lots of depth, so I’m excited to come back and hopefully take a run at it.” 2QH WKLQJ WKDW¶V FHUWDLQ LV .RUF]DN will be looking to provide all sorts of of IHQFH +H ¿QLVKHG VHFRQG LQ WHDP VFRULQJ in 2021-22 with 25 goals and 79 points in 68 games before leading the team with three goals and 13 points in 10 playoff JDPHV 7KDW DOO OHG WR WKH 5DQJHUV VLJQLQJ .RUF]DN WR KLV ¿UVW 1+/ FRQWUDFW GXULQJ the off-season after selecting him in the third round, 75th overall in the 2021 Entry Draft. ,W¶V VDIH WR VD\ .RUF]DN KDV KDG DQ LPmediate impact in his return -- he picked up an assist on Jagger Firkus’ game-winner in Moose Jaw’s 5-4 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Friday and was one of the more dominant players on the ice in the rematch Saturday, adding another two assists in the 6-0 win in Swift Current. “I’m ready for it, whatever way I can help the team to win is the most important SDUW ´ .RUF]DN VDLG RI WKH KHDY\ H[SHFWDtions. “Obviously we want to win but I’m hoping to put up some points at the same time and we’ll see what happens.” The Warriors are now in the midst of an eight-games-in-14-days road swing through the B.C. Division and Alberta. Next action is Wednesday, Nov. 23 in Prince George against the Cougars.