Lost in the Connor Bedard frenzy has been Kevin Korchinski’s debut with the Chicago Blackhawks. After weeks of speculation, the 19-year-old defenseman skated in his first two regular season NHL games this week, and he has looked the part. Though, it’s early, the Blackhawks would be wise to keep him in Chicago this season, as opposed to sending him back to the Western Hockey League (WHL).
For the Blackhawks, this season is all about growth and development. It may be a while before Korchinski becomes a top-pairing defenseman as many fans hope, but keeping him on the NHL roster is the best decision for his development.
Korchinski Looks NHL-Ready
Should Korchinski skate in more than nine NHL games, the Blackhawks will need to burn the first season of his entry-level contract (ELC). Due to Canadian Hockey League (CHL) rules, the American Hockey League (AHL) isn’t an option for the 2022 seventh-overall pick. The only other choice for Korchinski is to go back to his junior club, the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. He tallied 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 54 games there last season, finishing sixth in points among WHL defensemen.
Coming off a solid training camp and preseason, Korchinski looked comfortable and confident in his first taste of the NHL. With due respect to Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser, I thought Korchinski stood out the most among the Blackhawks’ young defensemen in their season-opening swing this week.
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After logging 19:19 in Tuesday’s (Oct. 10) season opener, a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, I’d argue Korchinski was even more noticeable in Wednesday’s (Oct. 11) 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. He came oh-so-close to scoring his first NHL goal on a 2-on-1 with Bedard late in the first period. Creating rushes came naturally to him, and quarterbacking the second power-play unit wasn’t an issue despite its lack of execution. Though his defensive game remains a work in progress, there weren’t any moments where he looked fazed or overwhelmed. In 21:48 against Boston, Korchinski led the team with 1.42 expected goals for (xGF) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Yes, two games is a small sample size. Five of the Blackhawks’ next seven games are against playoff teams from last season, plus up-and-coming clubs in the Montreal Canadiens (Oct. 14) and Arizona Coyotes (Oct. 30). It’s possible things come down to earth a bit, and the vibe is different, say, two weeks from now. But no matter how long Korchinski stays in the NHL this season, mistakes will be inevitable, and that’s OK.
Blackhawks Can’t Stunt Korchinski’s Growth
If Korchinski struggles over the Blackhawks’ next several games, that’s where things may get complicated. That said, keeping him in Chicago will allow him to continue growing and adapting to the NHL, as opposed to going back to the WHL, where he doesn’t have much left to prove. Allowing Korchinski to polish his game and learn from miscues now, as opposed to later, should put him in a great position to succeed once the Blackhawks are ready to contend.
Remember, for every Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, you have just as many players, such as Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, who faced growing pains right out of the gate after debuting in 2005-06. Through hard work and a willingness to adapt, they slowly became the franchise pillars we know them as today. Granted, that was nearly 20 years ago, and the league has become drastically faster since, but it shows the importance of staying patient with high-end prospects.
Overmarinating prospects isn’t a bad thing. We saw it last season with Lukas Reichel; after skating in 11 games in 2021-22 and recording just one assist, the team sent him down to the AHL to begin last season. He looked like a different player when he was called up, recording 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 23 NHL games. The difference here is the Blackhawks were bad by design last season and never in a position to succeed. It could be another rough season, but this year’s group is younger and more talented overall.
Blackhawks in No Rush to Compete
Compared to when they rushed Henri Jokiharju, Adam Boqvist, and Ian Mitchell into the pros, the Blackhawks aren’t relying on Korchinski to help them win now. This is important to keep in mind for their young players. While the rebuild is still young, the Blackhawks’ current management group and scouting staff has been far more thorough with developing prospects compared to the old regime. Not every prospect will hit, but it’s easier to have faith in the team’s process now versus four or five years ago when they were hanging by a thread.
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Again, this season is about letting the kids shine. With no Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews, the Blackhawks can finally begin assembling their next great core, which ideally includes Korchinski. They’ve put him in a great place to thrive on the second pairing with Connor Murphy, one of their most valuable leaders. As a stay-at-home defenseman, Murphy’s game perfectly complements Korchinski, who is a little more offensive-oriented and similar to a Seth Jones-type.
There are both pros and cons of keeping Korchinski past his nine-game tryout and burning season one of his ELC. However, he has been a major positive so far. Based on his first few games, the Blackhawks have every reason to keep him in the NHL full-time this season.
