The Pittsburgh Penguins have experienced a handful of changes so far during the offseason, which have included the departure of goaltender Stuart Skinner to the Winnipeg Jets, along with the departures of Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, and Connor Clifton.
The Penguins have also acquired Kaedan Korczak from the Vegas Golden Knights in return for Parker Wortherspoon, bringing the defenseman to Pittsburgh after he completed just one of a four-year contract.
And the good news for Penguins fans who are unfamiliar with his body of work while with the Golden Knights is that he’s been listed as a potential breakout candidate for the upcoming season.
New Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman Kaeden Korczak Is Named A Potential Breakout Player For 2025-26
With Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang nearing the end of their tenures, the Penguins are hoping that the 25 year-old defenseman could eventually become a key piece of their blue line while still helping the team remain competitive during captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby’s remaining years with the club.
According to NHL Insider Mike Gould of The Daily Faceoff, Korczak is a prime candidate to enjoy a breakout season.
“Penguins GM Kyle Dubas opted to substantially remodel his defensive group in late June and early July, allowing Ryan Shea, Parker Wotherspoon, and Connor Clifton to leave town while bringing in Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile, and Korczak, the latter of whom came from Vegas in a one-for-one deal for Wotherspoon. Amidst all the other trades that took place in the days leading up to and following July 1, the Korczak deal certainly flew under the radar. But it was a savvy move for a Penguins team still trying to remain competitive during Sidney Crosby’s twilight years while also preparing for the difficult aftermath of his inevitable retirement.”
Gould continued by talking about the longevity potential of Korczak while also touting his reasonable salary cap hit.
“The Penguins made the playoffs in 2026 on the backs of multiple players having career years. Wotherspoon is certainly included in that category, and he’ll be a great fit in Vegas, where every dollar counts; the Golden Knights are set to pay him just $500,000 in 2026-27. But Korczak is the much better long-term piece, and he’s signed at a very reasonable $3.25 million cap for four more seasons. While the 25-year-old rearguard never had much of a shot at getting off of Vegas’s bottom pairing, he should be able to play significant minutes in Pittsburgh, especially once Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang move on.”
So far in his NHL career, Korczak has appeared in 155 games and has tallied four goals with 33 assists.
The Penguins Have Made Several Moves This Offseason
The Penguins, who made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022 this spring, have undergone multiple changes so far during the summer.
Among the players that they have brought in include Andrei Kuzmenko as well as Nick Robertson, along with Trevor van Riemsdyk, Hendrix Lapierre, David Gustafsson, and Declan Carlile.
They also re-signed goaltender Arturs Silovs to a one-year contract.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post New Penguins Defenseman Named Key Breakout Candidate appeared first on HEAVY.