Kaedan Korczak is entering a vastly different Vegas Golden Knights blue line. They don't have sizable players in Nicolas Hague and Alex Pietrangelo around, leaving them without much defensive backbone. Now, the burden falls on the 24-year-old to fill that role in a full 82-game season.
That's a lot of pressure to ask from someone who's played 77 career games. Korczak hasn't dealt with the constant grind of going on long road trips from October to Spring. Sure, he might've done some light traveling in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. But we're talking East Coast trips and going to the Rust Belt here.
That's a different type of traveling that involves jet lag, coffee, and plenty of naps. Imagine sleeping on the team plane and not knowing where you are the next day. It would require an additional nap to get you back to a normal state of mind (trust me, I know this from experience).
So, let's look at the former Kelowna Rockets star and see what he must do to succeed. Where do his strengths lie? What must he do to have a comforable campaign?
How will Kaedan Korczak handle his first big campaign with the Vegas Golden Knights?
Signing a four-year contract worth $3.25 million AAV carries some weight in the NHL. That's especially true when you're prepping for your first full season (roughly) with the Vegas Golden Knights. You're expected to carry a larger role with the team, especially without Nicolas Hague and Alex Pietrangelo.
For him, it's all about taking baby steps. That means making the necessary plays and getting involved in each puck scrum. One of Korczak's specialties is getting down and dirty in certain areas. He loves his puck battles and will do whatever it takes to get pucks.
He must continue that if he wants to get more bang for his buck. That means continuing to physically engage with his opponents and clock as many minutes as possible. But that's not the only thing he must bring to the NHL level.
Korczak must unleash his two-way game as an offensive player
In four seasons with the Henderson Silver Knights (134 games played), Korczak was a notable offensive piece. Here, he scored 32 assists during his Silver Knights tenure, making him a valuable puck mover. While he's not lighting the lamp with goals (seven career AHL goals), his puck movement and handling is good.
Therefore, the expectations of a lower-pair defenseman carry that momentum to the unit. Jeremy Lauzon is expected to check people (and check people only), giving the lower units a physical edge. Zach Whitecloud doesn't have the offensive chops to contribute, either. That puts the burden on the 24-year-old to produce.
The pressure might seem a tad excessive for the youngster. But that doesn't mean he'll crack under pressure. Last season, he scored 10 assists in 40 games with the Golden Knights. That was good enough to impress plenty of people and should help him gain more fans in a full season.