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Chicago Blackhawks Player Grades: How Was Kevin Korchinski's Rookie Campaign?

Reviewing the young defenseman's first season in Chicago

By Ethan Gawronski |
/ Jamie Sabau/GettyImages
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Going into the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks were in an odd position.

General manager Kyle Davidson made it abundantly clear that he was embracing a full rebuild after the team finished with a 28-42-12 record. That season record would land the sixth-overall selection in the draft, but there was one problem. The Blackhawks' first-round pick was not in their possession. In the previous summer, the Blackhawks made a blockbuster trade on draft night, sending the 12th and 44th overall picks in 2021, their first-round selection in 2022, and defenseman Adam Boqvist to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Seth Jones and the 32nd pick in the 2021 draft.

The Blackhawks' prospect pool was lacking high-end talent, leading Davidson to trade star winger Alex Debrincat to the Ottawa Senators for the seventh and 39th picks in the 2022 draft along with a third-round pick in 2024. With the Blackhawks back in the top ten, Davidson reached the podium and announced defenseman Kevin Korchinski as the team's first selection in the draft.

Korchinski was a high riser in draft boards throughout the season after posting 65 points in 67 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) and adding 19 points in 25 playoff games. Standing at six-foot-two inches and 185 pounds, Korchinski's size and excellent skating ability made him more and more enticing to NHL teams as a future puck-moving defender.

Following his draft year, Korchinski continued to impress in the WHL with 73 points in 54 games on one of the top junior teams in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). After a stellar 54-11-1-2 record in the regular season, the Thunderbirds went on to win the WHL Championship with Korchinski as their top defender.

This led the Blackhawks to a tough decision in training camp regarding where Korchinski would spend the 2023-24 season. Since he was still only 19-years old, his two options would be to either return to Seattle for another season or play for the Blackhawks. The NHL-CHL transfer agreement does not allow players from Canadian junior hockey to play in the AHL until their are 20-years old. With Korchinski proving too good for juniors, he suited up for the Blackhawks this season.

Here is Kevin Korchinski's grade for his rookie season...

Korchinski's Season In Review

Going into this season, the Blackhawks were expected to have a lot of rookies on their blue line. Korchinski and Alex Vlasic were expected to make the team out of camp, following them were Wyatt Kaiser, Ethan Del Mastro, Louis Crevier, and Isaak Phillips all getting stints in the NHL this season. With injuries becoming a major roadblock for the Blackhawks, the young defensemen were all put in positions where they played in key situations whether they were ready for it or not.

This was the case with Korchinski, as he was given sheltered minutes on the third defensive pair to start the season so he could ease into NHL action without being overwhelmed. He quickly found himself consistently on the team's second pair behind Alex Vlasic, leading to him averaging over 19 minutes a night in 76 games played.

Korchinski was frequently partnered with Jaycob Megna throughout a large chunk of the season after Connor Murphy was placed on the injured reserve. Ideally, Korchinski should have been alongside Murphy for the whole season, whose defensive play and aggressiveness would have complimented the young puck-moving defender.

As a waiver pickup, Megna did his job and was given more responsibility in Chicago due to Murphy's absence, but having a steadier partner would have benefitted Korchinski.

Blackhawks Head Coach Luke Richardson emphasized Korchinski needing to be more physical and aggressive in games which he showed more as the season reached the final few games. His season had some highs and lows which are expected from a young defenseman in their first season. Korchinski's skating is a highlight of his game and was showcased when joining the rush into the offensive zone. He finished this season with 15 points in 76 games.

What's Next for Korchinski?

As a 19-year-old defenseman playing in his rookie season, Korchinski handled the pressures of the NHL well. He was put into a role that he was likely not ready to handle but continued to work on improving as the season went on. Ideally, playing in Rockford would have been best for him this season if the rules allowed it. However, through an up-and-down year, Korchinski showed his potential which should give hope to Blackhawks fans.

Going into next season, Korchinski will likely train to put on more muscle which will make him more of a physical presence on the ice. There were times where he was out-muscled by an opposing player and lost his leverage in the play. Young defensemen always go through a learning curve in professional hockey, and physicality is usually one of them.

His defensive instincts are going to improve as time goes on, and he has the size and skating ability to become a real threat at both ends of the ice for the Blackhawks. His offensive game should take a step forward with more talent coming onto the roster for more scoring options.

Korchinski looked like a rookie defender, which is not a bad thing at all. He experienced necessary setbacks that most players face early on. The real test is going to be how he addresses those going forward and whether he can rise above the challenges that face him in the NHL. He is a smart player with tons of potential, and it is easy to see why the Blackhawks have so much faith that he will become their top defenseman one day.

Kevin Korchinski's grade for his rookie season is a C+.

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