Prospect Info: Kevin Korchinski, 7th Overall, 2022 NHL Draft

[BobbyJet]

The whole reason that rule exists is so the NHL doesn't harvest the CHL's talent and stick their players in the AHL. The CHL won't want to budge on that.

I realize that.

Perhaps an "exceptional status" could be granted to a player, similar to the one they have for young under aged teenagers who are granted the privilege to play Junior.

If the CHL readily accepts under aged teens they should (if requested) be able to give one up to the AHL at the other end of the spectrum is all I'm saying. I know it is very unlikely to happen though.

 

[ClydeLee]

I dont get this view at all that he's too good for Junior.

He still showed flaws and weaknesses defensively or using his shot at the WHL level. It's not like he dominated totally 2ways and we're talking about sending him back.

 

[Chuck Testa]

I thought he looked good in the first two periods from what I saw, anyway.

More seasoning in the WHL won't be the end of the world if that's what it comes to. I would say that the Hawks will want him to add some strength and put on some muscle. He'll likely captain Team Canada at the WJHC and build up more confidence as the year goes on.

 

[Mrfenn92]

I’m fine with whatever they choose to do

 

[ChiHawks10]

I dont get this view at all that he's too good for Junior.

He still showed flaws and weaknesses defensively or using his shot at the WHL level. It's not like he dominated totally 2ways and we're talking about sending him back.

I agree. I don't think he's too good for Juniors. I just think he played well enough at the NHL level to warrant making the team. They don't HAVE to send him back, IMO.

 

[BobbyJet]

I agree. I don't think he's too good for Juniors. I just think he played well enough at the NHL level to warrant making the team. They don't HAVE to send him back, IMO.

Perhaps saying he is too good for Juniors isn't accurate - but what is accurate in my mind is that KK will be another year behind in learning to play as a pro. It is obvious there are weaknesses defensively in his game, much of it related to him playing against Juniors where he can get away with overhandling the puck and other bad habits.

 

[belfour30]

I agree. I don't think he's too good for Juniors. I just think he played well enough at the NHL level to warrant making the team. They don't HAVE to send him back, IMO.

Yeah, but they're not winning anything this year so similarly to Reichel, I'd send him back to be safe. I think there can be more damage if he plays in the NHL and loses confidence than if he goes back to junior for a year.

I think that the plan for KK has been telegraphed a bit, he's probably gonna play with the Hawks until being released for the WJC and then go back to Seattle for the remainder of the season.

 

[piteus]

Perhaps saying he is too good for Juniors isn't accurate - but what is accurate in my mind is that KK will be another year behind in learning to play as a pro. It is obvious there are weaknesses defensively in his game, much of it related to him playing against Juniors where he can get away with overhandling the puck and other bad habits.

Yes. It's more a question of what's best for KK's development:

1. 9 NHL games; mid-season World Junior Championships; games and training in AHL.
2. 9 NHL games, mid season World Junior Championships; back to WHL after 9 games NHL tryout.
3. 39 NHL games, mid season World Junior Championship; practicing and training in the NHL.

1 is not an option. Hence, it's either 2 or 3. What is best for the development of KK?

 

[featherhawk]

With the way he's playing, there's no reason to send him back. He has been more than good enough to make this team.

I agree with you, that said IMO the best thing to do for KK and the hawks future is to have him head back to Seattle this season.

Don't get me wrong, he has been great and I would not be upset if he stayed in the NHL all season, just not what I figure the best case scenario is...

 

[belfour30]

 

[ChiHawks10]

Been saying since about game 3 that he has played his way onto the team. And to me, he got better and more confident as the preseason went on.

I agree with you, that said IMO the best thing to do for KK and the hawks future is to have him head back to Seattle this season.

Don't get me wrong, he has been great and I would not be upset if he stayed in the NHL all season, just not what I figure the best case scenario is...

If he's playing at an NHL level(and he is), and he looks good out there(he does), and he was one of our best 3 D throughout the preseason(he was), then what purpose does it serve for the Hawks, or KK, to send him back to juniors?

You think he doesn't know he played well enough to make the team? Of course he does. How does he feel if the Hawks send him back to juniors despite that? If it were me, I'd be pissed. I think most players would be.

 

[Kurtosis]

Yeah, if he played well enough (which he did) to make the roster you reward him for it. Sending him back to juniors if he is playing well at the NHL level is bad for the team culture when they should be trying to turn the culture.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Should be on opening night roster. Assess again after the 9 games are up and if he is handling it well, keep him, if he needs more seasoning, put him back in Juniors. If he's still up, do the same after 40 games.

 

[Chelios]

The other thing about Korchinski is that I actually prefer the way he plays at this level. Didn’t watch him a ton last year in the W, but when I did I found he was often trying to do too much. At the NHL level (at least in preseason) he has played much more in control.

 

[featherhawk]

Been saying since about game 3 that he has played his way onto the team. And to me, he got better and more confident as the preseason went on.



If he's playing at an NHL level(and he is), and he looks good out there(he does), and he was one of our best 3 D throughout the preseason(he was), then what purpose does it serve for the Hawks, or KK, to send him back to juniors?

You think he doesn't know he played well enough to make the team? Of course he does. How does he feel if the Hawks send him back to juniors despite that? If it were me, I'd be pissed. I think most players would be.

think contracts in the future for the Hawks, in addition to his young age as a defender

like I said earlier, its okay if he makes the club, no biggy, just not what I would have in mind as best case scenario moving forward as a GM which would be for him to get seasoning in Seattle this year

 

[ChiHawks10]

think contracts in the future for the Hawks, in addition to his young age as a defender

like I said earlier, its okay if he makes the club, no biggy, just not what I would have in mind as best case scenario moving forward as a GM which would be for him to get seasoning in Seattle this year

This isn't MLB. They don't hold players back that are ready just so they don't burn years off an ELC, or to have more contract control. Keep that stupid shit in baseball, and away from the NHL.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Yup, contract status should not factor into the decisions on him anymore.

He made this team based on merit, not his draft status. If he continues to play well at 9 games, he will stay. If he continues to play well at 39 games, he will stay. If he struggles, he’ll go back.

If we’re honest though, he’s already the best skater, passer and puck carrier on the defense. That means a lot.

 

[TLEH]

He 100% made the team. Whether that is because we suck or he's really good already? Probably a bit of both. But if he isn't on the team then its another tank year because he is Top 3 LD in the organization for sure.

 

[belfour30]

This isn't MLB. They don't hold players back that are ready just so they don't burn years off an ELC, or to have more contract control. Keep that stupid shit in baseball, and away from the NHL.

Because the NHL's FA is age based rather than service time based.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Because the NHL's FA is age based rather than service time based.

It's both.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

But the NHL has a hard cap unlike baseball. I said it last year when they were jerking Reichel and Phillips around. Both guys lost tens of thousands of dollars by getting sent to Rockford when they clearly were better than some of the guys on the NHL roster. If you made me lose 50k when I was 21? Zero chance I'm taking a 500k yearly pay cut when I'm 27. You want to operate like this is a business go ahead. But that's a double edged sword. Swing that hammer when you've got the power. Fans shouldn't turn on guys when they've got the leverage.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Been saying since about game 3 that he has played his way onto the team. And to me, he got better and more confident as the preseason went on.



If he's playing at an NHL level(and he is), and he looks good out there(he does), and he was one of our best 3 D throughout the preseason(he was), then what purpose does it serve for the Hawks, or KK, to send him back to juniors?

You think he doesn't know he played well enough to make the team? Of course he does. How does he feel if the Hawks send him back to juniors despite that? If it were me, I'd be pissed. I think most players would be.

You seem to be assuming that the level of play in the pre-season is equivalent to what KK will see in the regular season, which is not the case.

I'm all for seeing what KK does once the games start to matter, and the Hawks have the ability to send him to the WJC's and or the WHL at any time if he struggling, with the only "real" issue being KK playing in 40 games for the year of service for UFA eligibility.

EDIT: And I do agree with your basic point that players will "hold a grudge" if they're obviously held back when they've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're ready. The rumor is that Drysdale in ANA got held out coming back from injury when he might have been able to play to keep him from accruing a year of service. This let ANA really hold his feet to the fire on this contract. If that's the case (and I don't know that it is), I would expect that Drysdale to REALLY apply the hammer when his contract is up and he's got the leverage.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The CHL won't want to budge on that.

The CHL has little to no leverage here, if the NHL changed its policy. They may have had a bit of leverage when 28/30 1st rounders were CHL players, but that's not the case anymore.

Truthfully, I think NHL teams are fine with sliding contracts for 19 year olds that aren't NHL ready yet. The way the draft works, there is little reason to change it just for the few players it makes sense to send to the AHL at that age.

 

[ChiHawks10]

You seem to be assuming that the level of play in the pre-season is equivalent to what KK will see in the regular season, which is not the case.

I'm all for seeing what KK does once the games start to matter, and the Hawks have the ability to send him to the WJC's and or the WHL at any time if he struggling, with the only "real" issue being KK playing in 40 games for the year of service for UFA eligibility.

EDIT: And I do agree with your basic point that players will "hold a grudge" if they're obviously held back when they've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're ready. The rumor is that Drysdale in ANA got held out coming back from injury when he might have been able to play to keep him from accruing a year of service. This let ANA really hold his feet to the fire on this contract. If that's the case (and I don't know that it is), I would expect that Drysdale to REALLY apply the hammer when his contract is up and he's got the leverage.

I'm basing this on his play, not on the level of competition. If we look at his play in the preseason, he 100% earned a spot on this roster to start the year in the NHL.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

I'm basing this on his play, not on the level of competition. If we look at his play in the preseason, he 100% earned a spot on this roster to start the year in the NHL.

That's true. But when the games matter, and intensity/physicality increases - he might be overmatched. If that's the case - the Hawks would be well served to send him back to the WHL and go with a lesser talented player who might be "more ready" to handle the physicality.

With that said - with his skating ability he might not be overmatched and in that case staying up and getting the best coaching and experience possible would definitely be a good way forward.