The weather in Chicago couldn't have been better for an afternoon skate earlier today, and after I got off the ice following a 20-minute session in the brilliant sunshine, I found myself sitting next to a former NHL player I remembered fondly from my youth -- 15-year NHL veteran defenseman Jerry Korab. When I asked him if he'd consent to an interview, he readily agreed.Though he's best known for the many seasons he spent in Buffalo with the Sabres where he played alongside defense partner Jim Schoenfeld, Korab spent the first three years of his career here in Chicago -- and after talking with him for a few minutes it was clear that there wasn't any other place that he'd rather be right now. For those of you who might not remember Korab, here's how Legends of Hockey talks about his post-Chicago career:
In May 1973, Korab and backup netminder Gary Smith were sent to the Vancouver Canucks for Dale Tallon. His stay on the West Coast lasted only 31 games before he was shipped to the Buffalo Sabres for John Gould and Tracy Pratt. This proved to be the most beneficial move of Korab's career as he blossomed into an effective defenceman on one of the best young teams in the league.The video is after the jump.
Korab played physically on defence while getting a chance to rush with the puck and shoot more from the point. He hit double figures in goals four times and helped the Sabres reach their first Stanley Cup final in 1975. He was picked to play in the 1975 and 1976 NHL All-Star Games and was a popular figure at the Memorial Auditorium.
