Golden Knights prospects Krebs, Korczak eager to shine for Canada at World Juniors

By Justin Emerson

Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 | 2 a.m.

Peyton Krebs had an idea what was happening when his coach came to his hotel room door with his parents on video chat.

That normally doesn’t precede bad news. Krebs had made Team Canada.

The IIHF World Junior Championships start next week, the biggest global tournament for under-20 players. Krebs, Vegas’ first-round pick in 2019, is one of two Golden Knights draft picks to make Canada’s roster, joining defenseman Kaedan Korczak, a second-rounder from 2019.

Lukas Cormier, this year’s third-rounder, was among the final cuts.

“I obviously had an idea when they came to the room all smiling, so that was good,” Krebs said

Krebs — a 19-year-old from Okotoks, Alberta; and Korczak, also 19 and from Yorkton, Saskatchewan — will begin play Dec. 26 against Germany, one of four pool-play games before the quarterfinals start on Jan. 2. The gold medal game is Jan. 5. All games will be broadcast on NHL Network.

Making this year’s team was extra special for Krebs, who was among the last cuts last year in an up-and-down 2019 for him. He was drafted 17th overall that June, weeks after he suffered an Achilles injury that would sideline him until November. He went to Team Canada camp in December, but didn’t make it.

He went back to the Western Hockey League and dominated, putting up 60 points in 38 games, a per-game pace that was fourth in the league. This year, there was little question that he had a spot among Canada’s forward group.

“Being one of the last cuts last year I came in with a lot of confidence this year,” Krebs said. “I knew what I needed to do to be on the team and I utilized that to my advantage.”

Being part of this team is a huge deal for Canadian junior players, with many calling it a lifelong dream. Korczak was one of them; he made the most of his first invite to selection camp this season.

“Ever since I was a little kid I would get up at whatever time it was and watch every game that Canada would play,” Korczak said. “To have that chance to wear that Canadian flag on my chest and having the whole country watch, that’s something special that I won’t take for granted.”

Korczak, who like Krebs plays in the WHL, has not played for his junior team this season after the league delayed the start of its season because of the pandemic.

Krebs and Korczak have known each other for a while as both WHL players — Krebs for Winnipeg and Korczak for Kelowna — as well as past junior tournaments and offseason training in Calgary. Korczak was then selected 24 picks after Krebs in the 2019 draft, following time as roommates at the Draft Combine. They’re teammates now, and could be in the not-too-distant future in Vegas.

“He’s definitely a great guy and anytime you get to chat he’s always a good laugh, so that’s awesome,” Krebs said of his teammate. “He’s a stud, he’s going to be an awesome player and I’m really looking forward to seeing him out here at the tournament and in Vegas for sure.”

In addition to the two Golden Knights, this year’s Canadian roster is stacked. Korczak is one of just two skaters who were picked outside the first round, and six players return from last year’s gold-medal team. Canada is expected to be a favorite once again, which brings with it a certain level of pressure.

“Having that level of talent and that many good players all on the same ice at the same time, just seeing how everyone prepares and seeing how everyone practices is something special and it definitely elevates everyone’s game,” Korczak said. “Whenever you put on that Canadian jersey everyone knows that there’s expectations and that’s kind of what we strive for."

It’s special to even be considered for the team. Cormier was part of the last group of cuts as one of the youngest players at selection camp. Before the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League paused its season in November, Cormier led all league defensemen with 21 points in 13 games, while helping his Charlottetown Islanders to a league-best 12-2 record.

Cormier was not close with either Krebs or Korczak before camp, but ended up as a defensive pair with Korczak before the tournament ended.

“It’s been a dream since I was young to play on that Canadian World Juniors team, so to have a chance to try out for that team and to come close to making it, it was a great experience,” Cormier said. “It wasn’t the result I was hoping for, but I respect their decision and I’ll be cheering on Team Canada during the tournament.”

The Golden Knights have one other player on a World Juniors roster: 2020 first-round pick Brendan Brisson, an 18-year-old forward playing collegiately at Michigan. It’s not as much representation as other teams have — the Kings have nine players scattered throughout the tournament — but the three Vegas has are all big parts of the future.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for those guys to show the world what they’re about,” said Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer, who has been a coach at World Juniors in the past. “For us, you know you’re getting a better player at the end of those tournaments.”