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

[TLEH]

For now. The draw of the USHL to NCAA route is just too big. I'm shocked elite players still play in the CHL. If I'm an NHL caliber player, I'm absolutely getting a free education, enjoying college life, and developing that way. Juniors is shit.

The travel for a kid at BC or BU is way better than riding busses from Regina to Spokane. Also you can decide to leave college at anytime. Or play in the AHL at 19. Its just makes total sense. CHL is already losing players because of the agreement.

 

[Pez68]

The travel for a kid at BC or BU is way better than riding busses from Regina to Spokane. Also you can decide to leave college at anytime. Or play in the AHL at 19. Its just makes total sense. CHL is already losing players because of the agreement.

Not to mention world class training facilities in most cases, and a better training staff.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I mean, he has hardly played on the power play at all.

41st most powerplay time amongst all NHL Defensemen (cumulatively).

Hawks Forwards are sh*t so there's not a ton he can do, he has 5 powerplay 2nd assists, dunno the breakdown of how many of those assists came off "QB'ing" versus defensive zone and neutral zone passing.

Ideally he'd be playing that role in Rockford right now.

 

[TheFridge]

I mean, he has hardly played on the power play at all. Do we really know he can't run the PP?

He averages like 2 mins but he's barely played PP1. That's part of the point though. If they weren't going to look at him to run that top PP, why is he here? He's barely been able to play to any of his strengths the entire year. That's a problem in development. You want to maximize confidence, not minimize it. I don't see how Korchinski heads into the off-season feeling good about his season. He survived a year in the NHL. Thriving in Junior seems like it would have been a better choice.

 

[SimpleJack]

think Kevin has been fine this year personally myself

Agreed, and the more you think about it the more impressive it becomes that he at least hasn’t looked noticeably rattled/out of place by now. He’s struggling onward. Fighting through the epic suck.

 

[Pez68]

He averages like 2 mins but he's barely played PP1. That's part of the point though. If they weren't going to look at him to run that top PP, why is he here? He's barely been able to play to any of his strengths the entire year. That's a problem in development. You want to maximize confidence, not minimize it. I don't see how Korchinski heads into the off-season feeling good about his season. He survived a year in the NHL. Thriving in Junior seems like it would have been a better choice.

He will have played a full season in the NHL at 19, and is already a second pairing defenseman(playing with a #7 most nights). Plenty to feel good about.

His development is on the coaching staff. There's no reason he shouldn't be on PP1.

 

[TheFridge]

He will have played a full season in the NHL at 19, and is already a second pairing defenseman(playing with a #7 most nights). Plenty to feel good about.

His development is on the coaching staff. There's no reason he shouldn't be on PP1.

He's not a second pair Dman on a good team and we both know that. He's a second pair Dman on this team because we have only have 2 real top-4 D in Jones and Vlasic.

Again, I'm really not trying to shit on Korchinski. Still like the player. But keeping him up all year was a bad call. It was the opposite of what they did with Reichel last year, which is surprising. You'd like to see some philosophical consistency with management.

There's no metric anyone can cite that would demonstrate why this year wasn't a bad one, developmentally, for the kid other than "well he has a full year in the NHL under his belt." He's getting buried in chances, buried in xGF% and destroyed in actual GF% and the things that made him a standout in Junior -- elite puck movement, transition game, running a PP and skating out of pressure -- he's barely shown any flashes of that in the NHL all year. Has he held his own defensively better than you'd have thought? I guess. Maybe? He's getting caved in defensively most nights, playing with bad partners but some of that is on him. Just don't get it.

 

[Pez68]

He earned a spot in camp, and has done more than just survive. The team sucks, which really limits how good an offensive defenseman can look. Especially with his trash partner most nights. I think they figured he would play with Murphy most of the season.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Looking past the decisions out of his hands...

His game has come a long way since the start of the season. Seems a lot more poised with the puck on his stick, he's firing a lot of pucks on net at the right time (and getting many through) and he definitely has looked better at shutting men down in the D-zone too this past month.

His transition game, first pass and poise in the O-zone haven't suffered that I can see.

Remember how much talent Forsling had? He'd create opportunities that nothing would come of. Then, he'd make a rough mistake and there's another -. Well, dude on a good team came into his own and now leads the league in the + category for Dmen.

The fact that Korch doesn't look out of place most nights is a very good sign.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Great idea....take upwards of 20 of the highest profile players out of the CHL. Those guys sell tickets for the CHL. Taking them out of the league weakens the NHL's number one feeder league.

The CHL has slipped a lot the last few years it’s dropping behind the NCAA if anything at this point.

Also there is no reason a player should have to do 2 seasons post draft in the CHL instead of facing better competition.

 

[clydesdale line]

 

[TheFridge]

He earned a spot in camp, and has done more than just survive. The team sucks, which really limits how good an offensive defenseman can look. Especially with his trash partner most nights. I think they figured he would play with Murphy most of the season.

Who cares if he earned a spot in camp. Our D core is trash. Reichel was one of our best forwards last year in camp, he didn't make the team.

 

[Pez68]

Who cares if he earned a spot in camp. Our D core is trash. Reichel was one of our best forwards last year in camp, he didn't make the team.

Well, he probably does. Lol. It's not like he's not an NHL defenseman and is getting killed. I don't think he learns shit in juniors this season. You have to play against better players to improve. Playing against a bunch of teenagers as an NHL caliber 19 year old is a joke.

 

[ClydeLee]

Well, he probably does. Lol. It's not like he's not an NHL defenseman and is getting killed. I don't think he learns shit in juniors this season. You have to play against better players to improve. Playing against a bunch of teenagers as an NHL caliber 19 year old is a joke.

The specific complaints people have made of him or roles on Powerplays, were exaty what he can have learned.

People want him to be a commanding and be using his shot. Those are specific things he needed to do more, he could of done more this year being on a team that was no longer as deep at forward.

 

[Northernhawk]

I have KK scoring tonight in my Timmy’s pool!

 

[giza]

Korchinski will be good. As a matter of fact, I think they should give him a little more creative license offensively and let him play to his strengths. Everyone knew he would struggle defensively, but this year is all about sober, hard knocks lessons.....he could have gained some strength in Juniors, but really didn't have much of a challenge there....as long as he keeps learning and progressing, I'm all good.

 

[hockeydoug]

There's no metric anyone can cite that would demonstrate why this year wasn't a bad one, developmentally, for the kid other than "well he has a full year in the NHL under his belt."

Yes, I can't make a single tangible example of how KK is better in Chicago for development than anywhere else. He's getting a fraction of the value he should get with all the minutes he had.

And on PP time, he's spent about 1/3 of his minutes on the pp scared of upsetting Richardson, when he hasn't been chasing back on another failed entry attempt.

When do we get to say how much Richardson sucks again, that's about the only thing that makes me happy watching games lately. (I'm too busy wishing Bedard was in a time capsule bubble to enjoy him playing lately, worried about injuries)

Well, he probably does. Lol. It's not like he's not an NHL defenseman and is getting killed. I don't think he learns shit in juniors this season. You have to play against better players to improve. Playing against a bunch of teenagers as an NHL caliber 19 year old is a joke.

Agreed, no value in juniors. If his game relies on puck skill, there's only limited value in the AHL without a good roster.

Better let him sink or swim in the NHL...but let's get him a new coaching staff for next year.

 

[hockeydoug]

As a matter of fact, I think they should give him a little more creative license offensively and let him play to his strengths.

So pulling him from pp1 after a few bad entries or passes was counter-productive afterall?

This kid looks scared out of his mind to make a play with the puck unless he has 25' of space. It doesn't look like just a lack of confidence, it looks like he's being coached to play square-peg-round-hole.

 

[BobbyJet]

So pulling him from pp1 after a few bad entries or passes was counter-productive afterall?junior

This kid looks scared out of his mind to make a play with the puck unless he has 25' of space. It doesn't look like just a lack of confidence, it looks like he's being coached to play square-peg-round-hole.

Heaven forbid that KK gets coached to defend like an NHLer .... over running around like he is still playing pond hockey against teens. Considering the lack of talent on the current team I think KK has done well for a 19-year-old rookie.

No Hawks fan should be wishing for another Erik Gustafsson on the roster.

 

[hockeydoug]

Heaven forbid that KK gets coached to defend like an NHLer .... over running around like he is still playing pond hockey against teens. Considering the lack of talent on the current team I think KK has done well for a 19-year-old rookie.

No Hawks fan should be wishing for another Erik Gustafsson on the roster.

Hawks aren't going anywhere because KK can defend. Nobody is making a playoff run without the ability to make plays with the puck. Easier to coach up defense and systems than creativity and puck skill. He'll get better or be a number 5 pp2 type like Gus.

I don't think he's done well but there were no other choices, they couldn't send him back to jrs. I don't think KD has a good plan and I don't think he has the right coach to integrate kids like KK.

Why are they drafting skating skill-type guys if they want them to grind it out and play defense first?

It's way too early to draw conclusions, maybe 2 years early, but I'm not a fan of how Richardson uses this kid.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

The calculus in deciding whether or not to keep a prospect in the NHL or send him back to a lower level is most often based on how he handles his role - does he regress or not. The Hawks have the added benefit of not being in the playoff race so wins/losses are less important than player development.

I don't think a fair assessment of KK's play this season would conclude he has regressed or been overwhelmed. He certainly still has holes in his game that need to be worked on and improved but as a 19 year old rookie that is far from surprising and to be expected.

Oh, and he is the best passing d-man on the team and it's not even close. He should be on PP#1.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Why are they drafting skating skill-type guys if they want them to grind it out and play defense first?

Every player has to learn to grind to some extent, this isn't pond hockey. People too quick to blame coaching for everything. He was a 7th overall pick in a draft that was weaker at the top compared to most drafts. He's gonna take some time and was hardly bust-proof on Draft Day. Honestly, his deployment is fine. They give him the highest share of offensive zone start time amongst Hawks defensemen, he is 41st in the NHL in terms of total Powerplay Time on Ice amongst Defensemen. They aren't intentionally throwing him to the wolves like Phillips and Crevier and watching him drown in a bad spot.

The issue with Korchinski is that with Murphy out, and throw Zaitsev being out as well who could have been a Backup, there isn't a suitable 2nd pair D partner for him. Both are natural right-handed defensemen, as is Jones, who is busy playing somewhere around 45 minutes a game as is and he/Vlasic give one real NHL pair. And more importantly, Korchinski will ideally play a similar "role" to Jones and so you'd like them to be on a different pairs. So that leaves him with Megna, a waiver fodder guy. And the Hawks are terrible in general so it's not like there's strong Forward support to prop him up.

 

[hockeydoug]

Every player has to learn to grind to some extent, this isn't pond hockey. People too quick to blame coaching for everything. He was a 7th overall pick in a draft that was weaker at the top compared to most drafts. He's gonna take some time and was hardly bust-proof on Draft Day. Honestly, his deployment is fine. They give him the highest share of offensive zone start time amongst Hawks defensemen, he is 41st in the NHL in terms of total Powerplay Time on Ice amongst Defensemen. They aren't intentionally throwing him to the wolves like Phillips and Crevier and watching him drown in a bad spot.

The issue with Korchinski is that with Murphy out, and throw Zaitsev being out as well who could have been a Backup, there isn't a suitable 2nd pair D partner for him. Both are natural right-handed defensemen, as is Jones, who is busy playing somewhere around 45 minutes a game as is and he/Vlasic give one real NHL pair. And more importantly, Korchinski will ideally play a similar "role" to Jones and so you'd like them to be on a different pairs. So that leaves him with Megna, a waiver fodder guy. And the Hawks are terrible in general so it's not like there's strong Forward support to prop him up.

They were always going to deploy him softly, I don't think there was a choice, that's not the problem imo. He always was and still is somewhat of puck player type gamble. The problem is what they allow him to do with that deployment.

If it's not coaching, it's the front office evaluating the player wrong or hiring the wrong coach for that kid. 2 points in 2 months and almost as many games with less than one shot than with more than one shot on the year should be a red flag that something isn't connecting in hockey ops top to bottom.

His deployment (pp unit construction and pp2) is not all that good when the minutes are broken down, he's not allowed to be creative in those deployments (benched from oz deployments early in the year after mistakes, pulled from pp1 after 2 turnovers, etc. etc. etc.). It's like he's playing with a shock collar so something has to give a bit. I'm not worried about the jumpiness we see some shifts, that will take a couple more years. I'm worried about the forced decisions. See it on wings quite a bit, not used to seeing it on a dman.

When a player is forcing their own decisions, I attribute that to coaching or a coach not recognizing it in a player. The younger the kid the more responsibility should be on the staff.

He'll have a huge runway, but I don't like what I see with him and this staff. Here's to hoping my eyes are lying to me.

 

[WarriorofTime]

His deployment (pp unit construction and pp2) is not all that good when the minutes are broken down, he's not allowed to be creative in those deployments (benched from oz deployments early in the year after mistakes, pulled from pp1 after 2 turnovers, etc. etc. etc.). It's like he's playing with a shock collar so something has to give a bit. I'm not worried about the jumpiness we see some shifts, that will take a couple more years. I'm worried about the forced decisions. See it on wings quite a bit, not used to seeing it on a dman.

He needs to learn what works and what doesn't, he's gonna take his lumps, but this isn't Juniors, playing free and making mistake after mistake without any sort of consequence reinforces bad habits. He needs to get used to and adjust to NHL pace more and that will often lead to some of the jumpiness, imo.

 

[BobbyJet]

Every player has to learn to grind to some extent, this isn't pond hockey. People too quick to blame coaching for everything. He was a 7th overall pick in a draft that was weaker at the top compared to most drafts. He's gonna take some time and was hardly bust-proof on Draft Day. Honestly, his deployment is fine. They give him the highest share of offensive zone start time amongst Hawks defensemen, he is 41st in the NHL in terms of total Powerplay Time on Ice amongst Defensemen. They aren't intentionally throwing him to the wolves like Phillips and Crevier and watching him drown in a bad spot.

The issue with Korchinski is that with Murphy out, and throw Zaitsev being out as well who could have been a Backup, there isn't a suitable 2nd pair D partner for him. Both are natural right-handed defensemen, as is Jones, who is busy playing somewhere around 45 minutes a game as is and he/Vlasic give one real NHL pair. And more importantly, Korchinski will ideally play a similar "role" to Jones and so you'd like them to be on a different pairs. So that leaves him with Megna, a waiver fodder guy. And the Hawks are terrible in general so it's not like there's strong Forward support to prop him up.

Exactly.

The overreaction of the play of a kid who is holding his own even though he's been thrown to the NHL wolves on a terrible team, as well as the agenda to blame Richardson for anything and everything, is way over the top.