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Warriors’ Korczak pushed past injury at Hub, confident heading into draft

Written by Jamie Neugebauer on

Put yourself in Moose Jaw Warriors forward Ryder Korczak’s shoes mid-way through the Regina Hub late March 2021, and decide what you would have done.

You find out the excruciating pain you are feeling after a puck hit you in the face March 20 vs Swift Current has been diagnosed as a serious jaw injury that required surgery. You have already been announced an ‘A’-list prospect for the next National Hockey League draft, you proved yourself with an outstanding 2019-2020 season and start to this one, you play for a team whose goals mostly amount to “get the youngest guys ice time”, and there will not even be a post-season to try to qualify for in a bizarre campaign seeking to escape a global pandemic.

Ryder Korczak of the Moose Jaw Warriors takes on a Saskatoon Blades player in the Subway WHL Hub Apr. 26, 2021 (Keith Hershmiller)

Many would have gone home to recuperate and get ready for the draft in which he is all but guaranteed to go in the first three rounds.

Korczak, however, did not even give that notion much thought.

“I told the surgeon that I really want to get back on the ice as soon as possible,” Korczak said to the DUBNetwork, “so he put so much support on my jaw that the recovery time was pretty quick.

“Honestly, my only thought was how fast I could get back on the ice, and after a week or so to rest and quarantine I was back on the ice with the guys. I was only thinking about doing whatever it takes to get back playing…the quicker I could get back would give our team the better chance to win. I wanted to win with this group of guys and stay in the Hub with all of us together.”

He ultimately played in 17 of the Warriors’ 24 games, and all but five of those playing with the repaired jaw; yet the confidence of the club with him at that first-line centre spot was clearly exemplified by the fact they had a record of 4-2 when he left the line-up March 21 but won only two of the next seven until he returned Apr. 7.

Korczak, 18, posted three goals and 16 points over the Hub campaign and led the club with 13 assists despite the fact he played seven fewer contests than the season contained.

“Ryder had a wild ride through this Hub,” Moose Jaw head coach Mark O’Leary said at the year-end press conference.

“I always talk about his drive, his love, and passion for the game, and I think we saw that with how fast he was able to come back from the injury when a lot of guys would not have. That right there helps him immensely.”

Anywhere, especially Vegas

A vast majority of prospects answer the question of their preferred NHL draft destination with the response of “anywhere will do!” – which is fair enough.

Yet while Korczak, of Yorkton, SK, is clearly in that same boat, there certainly would be a special quality to the situation if Las Vegas were to call his name, as big brother Kaeden was taken by the Golden Knights in the second round back in 2019.

“Anywhere would be great, of course, but honestly it would be nice to just go somewhere hot,” he said with a laugh.

“That would be really cool to be there with my brother though for sure. What he told me heading into this process was just to just do all I can on the ice, and then it is in the scouts and team’s hands. Just be yourself.”

Kaeden, himself only 20, has just come off a solid season as a big two-way defenceman with the Kelowna Rockets and has spent time with the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League team in Henderson.

The low down

Korczak’s lightning-quick feet and passing ability are what put the Yorkton native and son of former NCAA defenceman Chad on the NHL radar, and TSN insider Bob McKenzie has him at No. 53 overall on his latest draft rankings.

“I think I did well this past season and maintained my success in the offensive zone,” he said.

“The area I still need to improve is in the defensive zone, and with Coach O’Leary’s help, I think I took a step this year in the right direction towards that. There is still room for improvement everywhere, but I think I maintained my goals for this year.”

A second-round pick of the Calgary Hitmen in the 2017 WHL bantam draft, the man they call ‘the Night Ryder’ was dealt to Moose Jaw after a year in Calgary as part of the trade that sent current Vancouver Canucks prospect Jett Woo the other way before the 2019-2020 campaign.

Responsible for an impressive 17.2 percent of the Warriors’ offence in that first year in ‘The Friendly City’, Korczak is clearly pleased to have more scoring depth around him these days.

“It was definitely nice to have those guys behind me,” he said.

“We had a lot of skilled guys on our team this past. All these guys can put up points, so it’s great that it’s not all on me. We also became brothers and formed a really strong bond in the Hub, living in the dorms this past year, and next year coming up is going to be a really exciting season.”

“I really think we’re going to be contenders (in 2021-2022),” he continued.

“We have such young, skilled players that are going to be another year older. It’s going to be really exciting to watch us play next year, and I really believe we’re going to make a run for it.”