Ryder Korczak

January 2024 – The 21-year-old has appeared in 25 games thus far this season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, registering 11 points. He appeared in five games during the 2022-2023 season prior to being returned to his WHL team, the Moose Jaw Warriors. Last season with Moose Jaw, Korczak posted 28 goals and 41 assists for 69 points in 48 games played, the best point-per-game average of his career in juniors. The righty shooting center iceman, listed at five foot 11 and 174 pounds, is gaining valuable experience on his Hartford roster, which is sprinkled with some seasoned veteran players. He has a year remaining on his entry-level contract and will need to continue to add strength and hone his game during that period of time. Look for Korczak to try to force his name into the mix for a look as a call-up option in New York as early as next season. He has been trending in a positive direction of late, with eight points in his last ten games played for the Wolf Pack. Brendan Ferry

February 2023 – Korczak, held without a point in five games with AHL Hartford earlier this year, was returned to, and is thriving with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. In 27 games with Moose Jaw this season, the right-shot forward has compiled 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points. The Rangers organization is surely hoping that another strong season in the WHL can help him regain his confidence and gain additional experience by getting heavy minutes. This will bode well for him leading into 2023-2024, after not quite being ready for the short-lived jump up to the Wolf Pack back in October. Brendan Ferry

June 2022 – Korczak signed a three-year ELC with New York in May of this year – the contract kicks in during the upcoming 2022-2023 season. The right shot Center just completed his third season with the Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL), where he posted 25 goals and 54 assists for 79 points in 68 games played.  Korczak will turn 20 years of age prior to the upcoming AHL season, making him eligible to join the Rangers’ affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.  Brendan Ferry

July 2021 – Korczak was selected in the third round, 75th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft. Dave Hall

March 2021 – Unlike some other top prospects from the WHL, Korczak did not go to another league to get into game action earlier this season. His abbreviated draft season is finally set to get underway when Moose Jaw joins six other WHL teams in Regina which will serve as the hub city for the shortened 24 game campaign. He will be looking to build off a productive 2019-2020 season in which he posted 18 goals and 49 assists in 62 games. Korczak is one of the oldest players in his draft class and just barely missed being eligible for the 2020 draft so a strong showing in Regina will be key to maintaining his current draft stock. Korczak is a threatening offensive player that can finish chances but excels as a playmaker. He plays a cerebral game, consistently in the right place at the right time to pounce on loose pucks and escape traffic. He has a tendency to play on the perimeter at times but possesses good vision, scanning the play from the outside before making a move into space. These reads help him make quick decisions when the puck comes to him and he has the skill to control the puck and complete passes under pressure. Korczak is quick but not particularly explosive, instead, relying on his edge work and awareness to weave through defensive coverages. He can sometimes get caught puck-watching on the defensive side but has the intelligence and skills to become a reliable player in his own zone. Adding strength to his slight frame in the coming years will be paramount for Korczak if he is going to able to make an impact at the NHL level but he has the skill set to get there. Nick Richard