Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Grit, leadership, and experience

Nate Corbet sets the tone

Oct 17, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Nate Corbet knows who he is and what kind of player he needs to be. The Kelowna Rockets defenseman, last season’s WHL leader in penalty minutes, has never shied away from playing with an edge. It is not a gimmick or an act. For Corbet, it is the only way he knows how to play.

“That’s how I was brought up. That’s kind of just natural to me to play gritty,” he said. “I do believe in playing hard, and I believe that’s the most effective way for me. I’m not gonna be a guy that puts 40 goals in the back of the net in the season, so I figured playing the hard, gritty [way], something that not a lot of players like to do nowadays, that’s how I’m gonna separate myself.”

That competitive fire is why the Rockets coaching staff handed him a letter this season. Corbet now wears an “A” on his sweater, a sign of trust that means everything to him.

“It’s a huge honour and it’s something I don’t take lightly,” he said. “Teammates believe in me, and the coaching staff believe in me to be a leader on this team, and I can’t take that for granted at all. I just hope I can be a good leader while I’m here.”

Corbet’s leadership was forged during a difficult season. The Rockets managed just 18 wins last year, but through the frustration, he remained upbeat and focused on the long term.

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“I think I understood what we had coming up this year,” Corbet said. “All those tough times, they’re only going to be temporary. My biggest goal was to learn as much about myself and about our team, about what we’re willing to go through. I see it as a positive. You learn from that because you learn what it takes to lose, and then on the other side of that is winning. Through that experience, we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and what it takes to win. It just made us better for this upcoming year.”

The Rockets are better, he insists, because they have matured.

“Our young guys are one year older and obviously we added some more elite coaches,” he said. “They’ve helped us a ton and all the decor working with Hazer and Georgie, it’s been tremendous. We appreciate it so much every day. Off-season acquisitions are obviously huge. Two new goalies, we got Wetsch, Leslie, those are big adds. We’re a year older and more mature group and we’re starting to play the right way. We see how effective it can be when we play the right way.”

The Rockets’ improvement has as much to do with connection as talent. For Corbet, that bond starts in the dressing room and extends onto the ice.

“It’s kind of like just getting to know a new teammate,” he said when asked about adjusting to two new goaltenders. “The biggest thing is getting to know them more and more off the ice and develop that trust because you got to be a family to win championships. I really do believe that. The more close we become off the ice, it’s only going to help us with how we play.”

Corbet’s mindset is grounded in progress, not perfection. He knows the Rockets still have something to prove.

“I believe it’s a day-by-day process,” he said. “If you’re not getting better every day, you’ll never reach that mark of how good you’ll be throughout the season. You’re only as good as your last shift and your last game. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night. So our mindset is just to get better every day and continue to prove ourselves.”

The rugged defender had a taste of life at the next level this past fall when he attended an NHL training camp, an experience that gave him both confidence and clarity.

“Compared to that first practice, I remember I went there with Dawson and I were just like, oh wow, this is faster,” he said. “There was that moment where I was like, right, tape to tape passes, keep up, push the pace. It was unbelievable, spending time alongside Drew Doughty, being on the same scrimmage team as him. I just thought it was unbelievable that I was actually talking to him and stuff. All the NHL guys, even the coaching staff, I talked to Ken Holland. I’ll be forever grateful for that experience. It’s definitely changed my perspective and made me a better hockey player.”

That was not Corbet’s first time in an NHL environment. He previously attended the Edmonton Oilers rookie tournament, and that familiarity helped him stay composed.

“I saw guys like McDavid and Draisaitl walking around the dressing room, so it definitely did make me feel more at ease,” he said. “Not be so jaw-dropped. But it’s pretty cool. You’ve got to take it all in.”

Now, entering his 19-year-old season, Corbet believes he has what it takes to make the leap one day.

“I had a pretty solid performance [at LA Kings camp] and I’m just looking forward to building on that,” he said. “That was an amazing experience and I learned so much about what it takes to get to that level. One thing I learned is that I can most definitely play at that level. I know what I need to do and it’s just a matter of if I’m gonna do it. It’s up to me to work towards that day by day, but most importantly focus on this season and work towards winning that game on June 1st.”

Behind the toughness and drive is a strong support system, led by his father, who Corbet says has been instrumental in his growth both on and off the ice.

“He’s been unreal,” Corbet said about his father Rene. “Not only just helping me out with my game, but just being that calming presence whenever I’m frustrated. He always says, you can only control what you can, and that’s all you can focus on. He hasn’t ripped me after any bad games, which I appreciate, but he always gives me his honest feedback. It’s very much appreciated.”

Grit, growth, and gratitude define Nate Corbet’s game. He might lead the league in penalty minutes, but make no mistake — his play is fueled by something deeper. Don’t confuse hot headedness for passion.

For Corbet, passion is the standard.