Shea Theodore is listed as week-to-week and the Vegas Golden Knights will need someone to step into the lineup and fill the void; could it be Kaedan Korczak?
Replacing Theodore’s offensive production from the blue line will need to be a group effort. Noah Hanifin and Alex Pietrangelo have quarterbacked power play units and have shown offensive upside throughout their careers, but neither defender has the offensive instincts Theodore possesses.
Returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Golden Knights were handed a difficult test against the Quinn Hughes-less Vancouver Canucks. The first period ended scoreless, but Jake DeBrusk opened the scoring with his 20th goal of the season in the middle frame. The Golden Knights clawed their way back into the game courtesy of an Ivan Barbashev goal. On the marker, Korczak picked up his fourth assist of the season.
Korczak was inserted into the lineup to replace Theodore, playing his first game since Feb. 4 against the New York Islanders. Prior to that contest, the 24-year-old had not been in the lineup since Dec. 6.
Against the Canucks, Korczak was paired with Brayden McNabb, but the ice time discrepancy between the two was quite large. McNabb registered 20:30 of ice time while Korczak skated in just 14:44, the least among defensemen on the Golden Knights.
Although he played under 15 minutes, Korczak won his minutes. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights had a higher expected goal percentage than the Canucks (65.01%) and generated more high-danger chances (4-3).
“I think nothing really changes for me,” said Korczak when asked about the potential opportunity. “Same kind of mindset for me every day, work hard every day and hope for the best.”
The 6’4, right-handed defenseman had been asked to be patient and has been waiting a long time to crack the Golden Knights lineup. He was a highly touted prospect, earning a nod to join Team Canada’s 2021 World Junior team and played a large role on the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL for several years. With Theodore expected to be out for an extended period of time, it’s Korczak’s best opportunity to show the franchise what he can do.
If Theodore lands on the long-term injury reserve (LTIR), GM Kelly McCrimmon could look to acquire a defenseman to replace Theodore. If Korczak can show that he is ready and holds his own, the Golden Knights could use the cap space to improve the forward group.
Korczak’s physical tools and play style are wanted commodities in the NHL, but he needs the opportunity to show what he can do.
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