Starting Aug. 22 and operating by way of Sept. 2, lohud.com and the USA TODAY Community will reveal our annual rating of the highest 10 prospects within the New York Rangers’ group.
These experiences, with one set to be revealed every day, are primarily based on conversations with Rangers’ hockey personnel, coaches and trainers who’ve labored with these prospects, scouts from world wide and different sources. Any gamers who’re eligible for the Calder Trophy − 25 or youthful and haven’t performed greater than 25 NHL video games in a season nor six or extra video games in any two previous seasons − are up for consideration.
No. 8: Heart Ryder Korczak
Ryder Korczak responds swiftly when requested about his hopes for the 2022-23 season.
“My objective is to make it into Hartford,” he stated throughout New York Rangers’ growth camp final month. “I do really feel like I’m prepared for the AHL. I’m excited for it.”
The 19-year-old heart (he’ll flip 20 on Sept. 23) is just one yr faraway from being chosen by the Blueshirts within the third spherical of the 2021 NHL Draft. However his standout season within the WHL, coupled with the signing of his entry-level contract, has the Yorkton, Saskatchewan native centered on the following problem.
The Rangers recognize his enthusiasm and appear ready to provide him the chance to play for his or her AHL affiliate, however they’ve additionally been adamant about what will probably be required to earn a spot with the Wolf Pack.
“They labored with Ryder all through the course of the yr – simply when it comes to serving to with our message, and we do the identical with their message: ‘That you must be prepared to test and defend,'” stated Mark O’Leary, Korczak’s coach with the Moose Jaw Warriors. “That is what they’re on the lookout for on the subsequent stage.”
Extra:Rangers 2022 prospect rankings: No. 9 seems to make up for misplaced time
Extra:Rangers 2022 prospect rankings: No. 10 makes up for lack of dimension with coronary heart
At 5-foot-11, 172 kilos, the first concern concerning Korczak is whether or not he is sturdy sufficient to deal with skilled hockey. However his talent shouldn’t be in query.
He is coming off a 79-point season, with that manufacturing highlighting the offensive contact that bought him drafted within the first place.
“We love the boldness in his recreation,” Rangers director of participant growth Jed Ortmeyer stated. “He actually confirmed playmaking potential and creativity final season.”
That confidence has manifested by way of persistence and precision.
“For a smaller man, he does an actual good job of holding on to pucks when it comes to extending the play,” O’Leary stated. “I feel typically gamers − particularly guys that are not actual large − as quickly as there’s strain or as quickly as there’s physicality taking place, they eliminate the puck. Ryder does a very good job of simply holding on to it to make a play. … That’s hockey sense, but it surely’s additionally his puck expertise.”
O’Leary credit “creativity and pure athleticism” for making Korczak among the finest setup males within the league. His passing is an simple energy, as evidenced by 54 assists in 68 regular-season video games and one other 10 within the playoffs.
“He takes dangerous pucks and makes them good pucks,” the WHL coach stated. “That is a time period that I really I bought from New York, but it surely’s what he does. … He’s sensible to be in a spot the place the puck goes to be, and if there’s nothing taking place, it does not matter. He is put himself in a great spot the place he will get that puck and transport it to the offensive zone.”
Enhancing his right-handed shot is a precedence to additional spherical out his offensive recreation − “I’ve bought to make use of make the most of my shot a bit extra,” Korczak stated − however he is aware of defensive enchancment is what the Rangers will probably be watching closest.
“Like every participant, after they hit that age of 18 and 19, they begin to see an even bigger a part of the sport,” O’Leary stated. “Ryder is a coachable man. He needs to take that subsequent step and he is superb with suggestions that method. It has been good to look at his progress when it comes to his dedication to that aspect of the puck. It’s not there but on a constant foundation the way in which that it will have to be in professional, however definitely it is taken big strides.”
With that in thoughts, Korczak is spending his summer time within the New York space to coach with Rangers’ personnel and potential teammates.
The assumption is that bulking up within the health club is simply as essential − if no more − than any offseason work he can do on the ice.
“He’ll have an enormous summer time in getting stronger and filling out and having the ability to do this with greater our bodies,” stated Ortmeyer, who famous that the plan is for Korczak to return to NHL coaching camp and compete for an AHL roster spot.
“He’s going to should spend a while in Hartford to determine the professional recreation,” based on one scout. “He’s extra of a dynamically expert participant that might get away with loads of stuff within the WHL, the place, he’s not going to as a professional. He’ll should play either side of the puck and be a little bit bit extra centered on the defensive aspect.”
The scout harassed, “He’ll should discover a area of interest to show right into a third-line heart,” however the common feeling is that he can stick within the center.
“He was among the finest faceoff guys in our league, so I feel that helps,” stated O’Leary, referring to Korczak’s 56.4% faceoff win price. “He’s actual good at taking part in within the dots in these heavy areas… and he’s bought that imaginative and prescient to distribute pucks and put his wingers in good spots to create offense. He has all of the instruments to try this.”
Heart is the thinnest place within the Rangers’ prospect pool, which makes creating depth there a precedence. At this second, there’s an argument that Korczak has emerged as their greatest amongst lately drafted pivots.
In some respects, that speaks to the dearth of facilities with practical probabilities of making it at one of many NHL’s most demanding positions. However whereas Korczak would require extra seasoning to sufficiently spherical out his recreation, there’s sufficient talent and likable traits to examine a participant who might ultimately carve out a job.
“Ryder has all of the instruments when it comes to the talent set, the hockey thoughts − all of the issues that you might want to play professional,” O’Leary stated. “I imagine that he has these prepared proper now to play the American League. Because the Rangers’ employees has instructed him, it’s going to all be depending on the bodily aspect. Can he get his physique in a spot the place he can compete towards males? I am going to wager on Ryder for that. I am anticipating him taking part in within the American League this yr.”
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Community. Learn extra of his work at lohud.com/sports activities/rangers/ and observe him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.