- Sep 17, 2007
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Korczak isn't what we typically think of when we use the term overager. He's in his D+2 season. He was eligible to play in the AHL this year because his birthday is September 23rd, making him one of the oldest players in his draft class. The cutoff for the draft is September 15th and he was drafted in his first year of eligibility. Most kids drafted out of the CHL spend 2 years there post draft, so what Korczak is doing isn't unusual. The fact that he wasn't ready for the AHL is in no way a negative against him. Othmann was taken in the same draft and is all of 3 1/2 months younger. His birthday is January 5th, so by CHL rules, he isn't considered an overager (the cutoff is Dec 31st).I know that, but I can envision a scenario like Ryder Korczak where he can’t really hold his footing in the AHL and opts to go back for the overage.
Compare Korczak to Ryan Callahan. Callahan was passed over the first time he was draft eligible. We then selected him in the 4th round the following year when he was 19. He then played 2 more years in the OHL. He was a true overager in his final OHL season. He played an extra year in juniors beyond what most kids typically do. He turned 21 in March of his last OHL season. Korczak won't turn 21 until early next season.
Bob is one of the youngest players in his draft class. He won't have a choice next year. It will be OHL or NHL for him. So like Korczak, he will spend 2 years in the CHL post draft. He would only be an overager if he were to spend the 2024-25 season in the OHL. Do you really think he's going to spend 2 more years after this in juniors? That seems really unlikely. If anything, they'll bump him down to the ECHL if he isn't ready for the AHL.