Kaedan Korczak
Canadian defenceman drafted by Vegas, later traded to Pittsburgh.
Kaedan Korczak, a defenceman born January 29, 2001, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, now plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL. The Vegas Golden Knights picked him in the second round of the 2019 draft after he spent four seasons with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. His father, Chad, who is American, played NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Illinois Chicago and Michigan Tech; his mother is Tricia.
Growing up in Yorkton, Korczak played minor hockey with the Yorkton Terriers and later the Yorkton Maulers. He helped the Terriers win the 2013 Peewee AA provincial championship against the Warman Wildcats. While still bantam-eligible, he moved up to the SMAAAHL with the Maulers, putting up 15 points in 42 games during 2015–16. That year, the Rockets selected him in the first round of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. He returned to the Maulers for 2016–17, recording 29 points in 42 games, and also played four regular-season games as an affiliate for the Rockets. In the 2017 SMAAAHL playoffs, he scored a hat-trick in Game 4 against the Notre Dame Hounds, leading his team with five points in four games. After the Maulers were eliminated, he rejoined the Rockets for five playoff games.
Ranked 32nd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting before the 2019 draft, Korczak went 41st overall to Vegas. He signed a three-year entry-level contract on December 21, 2019, after notching 28 points in 32 games with the Rockets. That season, he finished with a career-high 11 goals and 38 assists, earning the team’s Top Defenceman Award.
For the shortened 2020–21 season, Vegas sent him to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. He debuted in the AHL on February 12, 2021, against the Bakersfield Condors and got his first AHL point the next night against the same team. After nine games with Henderson, he was reassigned to the Rockets on March 11, 2021. His NHL debut came on February 1, 2022, against the Buffalo Sabres, where he blocked one shot in 16:37 of ice time. On January 2, 2023, in his season debut with the Knights against the Colorado Avalanche, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist, while skating 15:30 minutes alongside Brayden McNabb and putting three shots on net. He scored his first NHL goal on October 18, 2023, against the Dallas Stars. After the 2023–24 season, he signed a two-year, $1.65 million extension with Vegas on July 2, 2024.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 2001-01-29
- Birth Place
- Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 3
- Weight Lb
- 206
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Right
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Former Teams
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Draft
- 41st overall
- Draft Year
- 2019
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Korczak grew up in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, playing minor hockey for the Yorkton Terriers and Yorkton Maulers. He was drafted in the first round of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft by the Kelowna Rockets after recording 15 points in the 2015–16 season with the Maulers. He played four seasons with the Rockets from 2017 to 2021, earning the team's Top Defenceman Award in his final season after a career-high 11 goals and 38 assists. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on December 21, 2019.
Korczak made his NHL debut on February 1, 2022, against the Buffalo Sabres, recording one blocked shot in 16:37 minutes of ice time. His first NHL point, an assist, came on January 2, 2023, against the Colorado Avalanche while skating alongside Brayden McNabb. He scored his first NHL goal on October 18, 2023, against the Dallas Stars. After the 2023–24 season, he signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension with Vegas on July 2, 2024. He made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on May 6, 2025, playing 13 minutes in a 4–2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in game 1 of the second round. On July 2, 2025, he signed a four-year extension with Vegas, but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 30, 2026, in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon.
Reader's Guide
Kaedan Korczak's career with the Vegas Golden Knights began when he was selected 41st overall in the 2019 NHL entry draft after a strong junior career with the Kelowna Rockets. He developed through the Golden Knights' system, spending time with their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, before making his NHL debut in 2022. His first NHL point and goal came in subsequent seasons, and he signed multiple contract extensions with Vegas, including a two-year deal in 2024 and a four-year extension in 2025. However, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2026. Korczak also represented Canada internationally, winning a silver medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships and playing in the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. His younger brother, Ryder, is also a professional ice hockey player.
Did You Know?
- Korczak was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, to Chad and Tricia Korczak.
- He helped the Yorkton Terriers win the 2013 Peewee 'AA' Provincial championships.
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