Burn, Babies Burn! Blackhawks Teens Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski Played In 10th NHL Games

Blackhawks teenage rookies Connor Bedard and Kevin Korchinski made it official when they skated in their 10th NHL games on Saturday night in Chicago's 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers.

It means Bedard's and Korchinski's three-year entry-level NHL contracts have kicked in this season — they "burn" the first year of the deals and will be in line for new contracts after the 2025-26 seasons. 

Performance-wise, it's no surprise. 

The 18-year-old Bedard, the NHL's heralded No. 1 draft pick of 2023, has five goals and two assists so far. The center has scored in three straight games and four of the last five.

Korchinsksi, 19, hasn't been perfect. But the smooth-skating defenseman hasn't looked out of place either despite some rookie mistakes on a rebuilding team.

Chicago's first-round draft pick in 2022 (seventh overall) is a minus-8, but has three assists and his average of 19:42 of ice time is second only to blue line anchor Seth Jones

Both Bedard and Korchinski have the NHL's standard three-year, entry-level pacts that pay a base salary of $885,000. 

Plus bonuses. 

Bedard's signing bonus ($95,000) and performance bonuses ($3.5 million) package will up his first-year pay to $4.45 million.

Korchinski signed his contract in August 2022 after being drafted seventh overall. He also has a signing bonus ($95,000) plus a performance bonus package ($1 million).

The D-man's contract was allowed to "slide" last season when he was returned to Seattle of the WHL after training camp.  Korchinski could still be sent to his junior club, but isn't eligible to be assigned to Rockford or any minor pro team since he's not yet 20.

Coach Luke Richardson has indicated Korchinski will hang around.

There was little doubt that Bedard would stay in Chicago. He signed on July 17, 2023, his 18th birthday and 19 days after being selected first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.