You might not think that Kaedan Korczak needs to improve after an abysmal season. After all, he played 40 games and scored 10 assists with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. But there's a solid case for the defenseman to break out and be a major contributor.
According to Rotowire, Korczak is projected to make the NHL's Second-Team Most Improved Roster this season. He's projected to join the likes of Yaroslav Askarov of the San Jose Sharks, Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks, and the newly acquired Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens.
Position | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
Left Wing | Matias Maccelli | Toronto Maple Leafs |
Center | Leo Carlsson | Anaheim Ducks |
Right Wing | Ivan Demidov | Montreal Canadiens |
Defenseman | Lian Bischel | Dallas Stars |
Defenseman | Kaedan Korczak | Vegas Golden Knights |
Goalie | Yaroslav Askarov | San Jose Sharks |
Other names include Lian Bischel of the Dallas Stars and Matias Maccelli of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yes, one might conclude that this is essentially a group of youngins' who have no place to go but up. However, it's a "golden" chance for the young defenseman to stand out for the team this year.
Not having Alex Pietrangelo and Nicolas Hague around will hurt the blue line drastically. You're losing tremendous size and stay-at-home ability without the duo playing for the Golden Knights. That's where you need Korczak to step in. He must continue winning puck battles and evolving his two-way game as he becomes a prominent player.
If he does all that, there's no reason why he won't be one of the league's most improved players. Korczak can potentially be a key player in Vegas's Stanley Cup run for this season and the next. On top of that, he could fill in a vital role left behind by two massive figures.
It's an improvement over spending lavish money on a defender. You know Kelly McCrimmon doesn't mind that, though.