The one Chicago Blackhawks prospect that everyone is intrigued by, besides Connor Bedard, is Kevin Korchinski, and for good reason. He was their 2022 seventh-overall draft pick and has the skill set to be one of the team’s most dynamic defensemen they have seen in years. He had an impressive training camp last season, followed by a career year with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL (Western Hockey League), winning the WHL U.S. Division Defenseman of the Year, and was a finalist for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL Defenseman of the Year).
While speaking with Thunderbirds’ general manager Bil La Forge about Nolan Allan for part one of this series, I got some extra insight into how Korchinski’s game has evolved into the player once again turning heads at this year’s Blackhawks’ training camp.
Korchinski’s Thunderbirds’ Start
Although Korchinski is only 19 years old, he is a veteran when it comes to the Thunderbirds, and just like his draft with the Blackhawks, he was a 2019 first-round pick of Seattle (10th overall) and has played there the past three seasons. In 145 career games with the club, he notched 148 points and a plus-76. He was their top-pairing defenseman, precisely what he was drafted to be in the WHL and the NHL. La Forge and the Blackhawks saw the same capabilities that made him a can’t-miss prospect, which emphasized skating and was a significant point in La Forge’s conversation. When you look at his stats, the first thing that pops up is his offensive capabilities. He had 73 points in 54 games last year (third-best on the team and best among defensemen), and he had 65 points in 67 games in 2021-22, but what makes that part of his game so dynamic, comes back to his skating, which he has harnessed with the Thunderbirds.
I asked La Forge what is the biggest thing that stood out about Korchinski from when Seattle drafted him to now. He responded, “I think with Kevin, the first thing that jumps off the page is his skating has improved a ton, and now it’s an asset for his game. When we first drafted him, his legs were still pretty weak. You could see that he was going to be a good skater, but he wasn’t there yet. And you know, the offensive part of his game has just continued to develop. He sees things on the ice that very few have the ability to see on the offensive side of the rink, and he’s just getting bigger, stronger, and more mature, allowing him to defend better. He’s rounding into shape and into form of an NHL defenseman. I’m excited to see where he goes going forward as well.”
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There was a point during the conversation where we discussed the different capabilities of defensemen, specifically Korchinski and Nolan Allan, which allowed him to explain, “We draft a player at our level that we see offense in, and then the NHL drafts them from our level, but our job is to make sure that when they get to that next point, they’re more well-rounded, and I think Kevin is a perfect example of that. If you would have watched him play at 16 in our league, I don’t even know if we should have put “defense” under his name. I mean, he was all over the ice, but slowly, over the last couple of years, he has learned that part of the game with our coaching staff and developed.”
That part reminded me of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson. In 2014, when NHL players were asked which defenseman they would pick first in fantasy hockey, T.J. Oshie (Washington Capitals) responded, “Karlsson. This guy, I think, should be playing forward but seems to line up on the blue line every game.” Looking at Karlsson now, he is the reigning Norris Trophy winner for the NHL’s best defenseman, even though people usually correlate Karlsson with offense, and the same goes for Korchinski.
The fact that Korchinski’s hands can keep up with his feet is what makes him such an exciting prospect because very few can move the puck and score as he can, but his defense should not be overlooked either, so I love that La Forge expounded on that part of his development too. He went from being a minus-8 in his first season in Seattle to being a plus-50 last season. In two WHL playoff seasons, he was a plus-15. You can’t ask for more from a defenseman than that.
Korchinski’s Endearing Persona
Through Korchinski’s media sessions, you can get a glimpse into his personality type, being that he always shows up with a smile and a friendly banter. So, I asked La Forge, from his perspective, to tell me what he is like:
Affectionately, I would call Kevin a hockey nerd. I say that in the most glowing way. That’s one of the most glowing terms I can give a person in Seattle. He loves hockey as much, if not more than anyone I have ever seen. He always wants to be on the ice. If we give him the option of skating on a game day, he’s out there. If we give him the option of staying out after practice, he’s out there. He’s always doing something to get better. I found very few kids who like the game as much as he does. When I say “hockey nerd,” please understand I’m saying that in the best way possible. It’s a term of endearment around here. That’s how I would describe Kevin.
That is the best compliment you can give a hockey player. Connor Bedard was described in the same way as the pure love of hockey. His drive has already shown in training camp, with Korchinski saying, ‘‘I’m going to make mistakes, so when I do, I want them to let me know how I can do better and fix those mistakes. They’re just being constructive with it, trying to make me a better player. And that’s why you want to play hockey: to be the best player you can be. Getting that criticism, it has been awesome. I’ve learned a lot, even these past two weeks.’’
For Blackhawks fans, that initiative is what you want to see. Korchinski is a student of the game and is never satisfied. Players like that usually make the best teammates and competitors.
Korchinski’s Blackhawks Future
Now, for the elephant in the room. There is still no answer as to whether the Blackhawks will have Korchinski start in Chicago or send him back to Seattle, as he can’t be sent to the Rockford IceHogs because he is not 20 years old, per the Canadian Hockey League agreement with the NHL. When I asked La Forge if he believes Korchinski is ready for the NHL, understandably, he played it coy, “I think the only way to find out is to watch how he does in the next couple weeks in training camp, and then people at that level will make that decision. The last thing I said to Kevin when he was leaving was, “I hope I don’t see you until I get to watch you play at Climate Pledge Arena [against the Seattle Kraken].” So, I hope for him that he is ready, but in saying that, they have been doing this a long time at that level, and they’ll decide if the best thing for him is to play in the NHL this year or to come back to Seattle. Either way, I’m going to be very excited.”
By Korchinski’s performance at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and during the preseason games so far, you would think he might stay with the Blackhawks, but the organization wants him to prove it and show he can physically defend NHL forwards and dial back offensive risk-taking, as he has had some defensive miscues during the preseason.
Overall, Blackhawks’ head coach Luke Richardson has been impressed, citing Korchinski’s performance against the St. Louis Blues on Sept. 28, where he tallied an assist on Philipp Kurashev’s goal. Even Connor Murphy, who he was paired with during that game, lamented his quickness and natural talent. His future is set in Chicago; it’s just a matter of if it’s starting earlier or later. If he returns to Seattle, he could continue being “the guy” and excelling there. With the Blackhawks, he could grow his NHL game during a rebuilding year. Neither choice is wrong, but it’s a difficult one.
Related: Blackhawks’ Korchinski Showing Why He’s Chicago’s Top Prospect
To wrap things up, I asked La Forge if there is anything that fans need to know about Korchinski, “I think what he has accomplished at our level is really special. To be an offensive, impactful player at 17 in this league as a defenseman is not very easy. To do it on a team that lost in the league championship as a 17-year-old and then the Memorial Cup Championship as an 18-year-old, and to be counted on every night as an offensive player and produce the way he has is not something you see very often. So, he’s a very, very exciting prospect for the Blackhawks.”
Chicago was fortunate to draft him with the pick they got in the Alex DeBrincat trade. NHL teams are usually tripping over themselves to find defensemen like Korchinski, who show game-breaking talent, which he has shown in the WHL and training camp. He has the potential to lead their blue line and point standings for years to come. General manager Kyle Davidson exclaimed after the Blackhawks drafted him, “We truly got our guy.” (from ‘Chicago Blackhawks trade Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach, then select 3 first-rounders in the NHL draft’ – Chicago Tribune – 07/08/2022). They sure did, and the future of the Hawks’ d-core looks oh-so bright.