Penguins, Golden Knights Swap Defencemen The Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights completed a trade of defensemen on Tuesday. The deal involves the Penguins acquiring defenseman Kaedan Korczak from the Golden Knights in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon. The transaction is part of both teams’ efforts to adjust their rosters ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season. Parker Wotherspoon, a 28-year-old defenseman from Surrey, B.C., will remain with the Golden Knights but will have his salary split. The Penguins will retain 50 percent of his $1-million annual contract, while Vegas will absorb the remaining 50 percent. Wotherspoon, who played in 80 games for Pittsburgh during the 2023-24 season, recorded career highs with three goals and 27 assists. Over his four-season NHL career, which included stints with the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, he accumulated four goals and 42 assists. Kaedan Korczak, a 25-year-old defenseman from Yorkton, Sask., joins the Penguins after spending his entire five-season NHL career with the Golden Knights. The 78-game performer in 2023-24 tallied three goals and 13 assists for Vegas. His contract with the Golden Knights, which runs through the 2029-30 season, includes an annual salary of $3.25 million. Korczak’s move to Pittsburgh marks his first transfer to a new team in his NHL career. The trade details highlight the financial and roster adjustments made by both teams. The Penguins’ decision to retain half of Wotherspoon’s salary aligns with the terms outlined in the original agreement. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, gain a defenseman with a proven track record of contributing on the blue line. Wotherspoon’s departure from Pittsburgh ends a brief but impactful stint with the team.#pittsburgh_penguins #vegas_golden_knights #kaedan_korczak #parker_wotherspoon #surrey_b_c
Penguins Acquire Kaedan Korczak from Golden Knights in Exchange for Parker Wotherspoon The Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, acquiring defenseman Kaedan Korczak in exchange for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. The deal includes the Penguins retaining 50% of Wotherspoon’s $1 million salary cap hit, while Korczak, entering his first season under a four-year contract with a $3.25 million cap hit, will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2030. The transaction marks a significant shift for both teams, reshaping their defensive depth and future plans. Korczak, a 25-year-old right-handed shot, appeared in 78 games for the Golden Knights during the 2025 season, tallying 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) while averaging 15 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time per contest. His performance included 102 hits, sixth-most on the team, and a notable 27 seconds of short-handed time. During the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final run, he played 13 games, recording three assists, though he was a healthy scratch for nine postseason contests. A second-round draft pick (No. 41 overall) in 2019, Korczak has spent his entire professional career with the Golden Knights, including parts of five NHL seasons. Wotherspoon, 28, signed with the Penguins as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025, agreeing to a two-year contract. During his single season with Pittsburgh, he played 80 games, setting career highs in goals (three), assists (27), and points (30). His average ice time of 20:10 per game ranked him second on the team in hits (162), and he was frequently paired with right-handed defenseman Erik Karlsson on the top pairing. The Penguins’ salary cap is now projected to have $35.#pittsburgh_penguins #erik_karlsson #vegas_golden_knights #kaedan_korczak #parker_wotherspoon
