LD Kevin Korchinski - Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL (2022, 7th, CHI)

[Doublechin]

For those who have seen him a lot, is DeAngelo a decent comparison(minus off-ice antics)?

I feel like they are both not exactly great skaters, just average. But both have a knack for finding ways to make plays all over the ice. Both make some great passes. Both not great defensively , but not horrible either. Neither is very physical…

DeAngelo doesn’t play PK. Does Korchinski play PK at all? Could he PK in NHL?


Thanks.

His biggest flaw is his defensive game, he's far from seeing PK minutes even if he'd be in the AHL

 

[lafellaesobar]

He'll be gone by 10 IMO

 

[majormajor]

I see Chabot but somehow even more turnovers and somehow even worse defense.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Thomas Harley is the comp I’ll use. Will be drafted a few spots higher, but pretty similar draft position.

 

[lafellaesobar]

I see Chabot but somehow even more turnovers and somehow even worse defense.

so a still very good offensive defenseman?

 

[canuck2010]

Korchinksi is 18, plenty of time to develop his game. I don't see him as being weak defensively at all. I see a player that needs to be coached and reminded of the defensive aspects of the game. Not unusual for a player his age and playing his position. He has all of the skill required, and can get to where he needs to be and to do what needs to be done.

 

[lomiller1]

Korchinksi is 18, plenty of time to develop his game. I don't see him as being weak defensively at all. I see a player that needs to be coached and reminded of the defensive aspects of the game. Not unusual for a player his age and playing his position. He has all of the skill required, and can get to where he needs to be and to do what needs to be done.

I agree. In fact trying to evaluate how good a CHL player is defensively is usually a fools errand. Smart skilled motivated players can always learn to play defensive hockey but CHL players with the requisite skills to make the NHL can almost always make a bigger difference with their offence. Furthermore opinions on defensive ability of CHL players are usually garbage. Players get called "defensive players" simply because they fail to produce as expected offensively, and it gets worse.

Often players get labeled "good defensively" simply because they are physical. Eg Logan Stanly in his draft year was touted as being a "big physical defensive defenseman" but the fact is that he was absolute garbage defensively. He couldn't defender the blue line because he couldn't turn and skate. If he tried even players with mediocre speed would simply skate past him. The result what that he would surrender the blue line without even challenging the forward then back up all the way to the goaltender. He wasn't and still isn't a good defensive player in fact he was a defensive liability.

 

[landy92mack29]

Korchinski won't get better defensively...he hasn't at all since I've been watching him since he was 14 and has the same weaknessess as he did then. He's going to be taken ahead of Mateychuk which isn't going to age well

 

[majormajor]

Korchinksi is 18, plenty of time to develop his game. I don't see him as being weak defensively at all. I see a player that needs to be coached and reminded of the defensive aspects of the game. Not unusual for a player his age and playing his position. He has all of the skill required, and can get to where he needs to be and to do what needs to be done.

So you don't think Korchinski has ever been coached to play proper defense?

For me this is kind of like the skating discussion that we have about prospects with bad skating. Yes, skating often can be improved, but we're talking about players that have been working on their skating with elite trainers for sometimes most of their lives.

There are players in the NHL with significant weaknesses that they have worked to fix and it didn't come along. There's a good chance Korchinski will be that player with his defensive game.

 

[canuck2010]

So you don't think Korchinski has ever been coached to play proper defense?

For me this is kind of like the skating discussion that we have about prospects with bad skating. Yes, skating often can be improved, but we're talking about players that have been working on their skating with elite trainers for sometimes most of their lives.

There are players in the NHL with significant weaknesses that they have worked to fix and it didn't come along. There's a good chance Korchinski will be that player with his defensive game.

I never said any such thing. Please reread my post.

 

[bsu]

So you don't think Korchinski has ever been coached to play proper defense?

For me this is kind of like the skating discussion that we have about prospects with bad skating. Yes, skating often can be improved, but we're talking about players that have been working on their skating with elite trainers for sometimes most of their lives.

There are players in the NHL with significant weaknesses that they have worked to fix and it didn't come along. There's a good chance Korchinski will be that player with his defensive game.

Hes in the same spot Shea Theodore was in. He'll be fine.

 

[majormajor]

Hes in the same spot Shea Theodore was in. He'll be fine.

We've got a few offensive defensemen in the NHL that struggle badly with defensive reads, so much so that it hurts their value. E.g. Barrie, Boqvist, etc... How would you identify them vs a player who is struggling with reads at the junior level who you think is going to be fine?

 

[bsu]

We've got a few offensive defensemen in the NHL that struggle badly with defensive reads, so much so that it hurts their value. E.g. Barrie, Boqvist, etc... How would you identify them vs a player who is struggling with reads at the junior level who you think is going to be fine?

Barrie is a useful NHL player.... And regarding your post that's the job of the scouts/GM and organization to decide. That's what separates the men from the boys.

 

[majormajor]

Barrie is a useful NHL player.... And regarding your post that's the job of the scouts/GM and organization to decide. That's what separates the men from the boys.

I like Barrie too, but you don't need to draft that sort of player to get them. Obviously Theodore would be much harder to get.

 

[bsu]

 

[ello]

Bad defensive players exist in the NHL. The narrative that you simply draft for skill and coach the defense is getting a little out of hand.

Odds are Korchinski is always going to be somewhat of a liability defensively but if you have the right players/system to insulate him and take advantage of his talent then he could be a great fit in your organization.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The NHL comparable fully developed may be Jake Gardiner.

 

[No ReGretzkys]

Where is he projected? Before or after mintyukov?

 

[bsu]

Where is he projected? Before or after mintyukov?

#9-#15, they are ranked similarly. I think they are both underrated.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

The NHL comparable fully developed may be Jake Gardiner.

A healthy Gardiner wasn't in general a bad defensive player in my view. It's just that he had his worst brainfarts at the absolute worst possible times. I've never seen an overall good player with a worse sense of timing in that regard. Whatever the opposite of clutch is, that's Jake Gardiner.

Never seen this kid play so no idea what he's like.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Chicago

 

[Dion TheFluff]

Wow.Way off the board pick. The Debrincat trade is looking better and better

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wow.Way off the board pick. The Debrincat trade is looking better and better

He only went like 3-5 picks before projected. Not that far off the board.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Wow.Way off the board pick. The Debrincat trade is looking better and better

yeah, for the Sens

 

[GermanSpitfire]