Scott Niedermayer was a slick Hall-Of-Fame defenseman with New Jersey and Anaheim. Korchinski is still only 19, but may have the wheels and skills to match the former Norris Trophy winner. Story with videos.
Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski was rushed into on-the-job learning at the NHL level this season.
It's working. Increasingly, Korchinski is starting to sparkle.
Or as coach Luke Richardson points out, the 19-year-old Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native often is making the clean, simple and sound plays that go unnoticed. Most of the time, that's what a team wants from its defensemen.
Then there's a little extra.
Korchinski, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, is an exceptional, even elegant skater. He already has quick wheels and accelerates smoothly, almost effortlessly by NHL standards.
Like Hall-of-Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer. The 2004 Norris Trophy and 2007 Conn Smythe Trophy winner played 18 seasons with New Jersey and Anaheim after being drafted third overall by the Devils in 1991.
The Blackhawks play the Ducks at the Honda Center on Thursday in search of a 3-0 season series sweep.
"I know that's who he wants to channel his game against." Richardson said. "I know that's dating back, but he (Niedermayer) was kind of ahead of the curve in the way he skated and played the game.
"He was an effortless skater, but his positioning was always great. He never looked like he was scrambling back to the defensive zone, and it was always like, 'But how did he get to the offensive crease?'
"He was sneaky and elusive and that's the way Kevin's gotta' be. And we've seen definitely some growth and signs there, but he's just gotta' continue to keep doing that. He's gonna' be leading the charge on the offense, but he's always a guy that you count on on defense." See video.
Growing Pains, But Trending Upward
As expected, Korchinski has had some rough nights along with young teammates on rebuilding Chicago. For instance he was minus-3, with four goals-against at Los Angeles in a 6-2 loss on Tuesday.
Korchinski made a rushed puck decision that led to a goal by Anze Kopitar. The defenseman's 6-foot-1, 185-pound build is still a bit boyish by NHL standards, so Korchinski can't outmuscle the likes of Kopitar and other strong forwards on a team like the Kings.
The fitness-first Richardson will make sure his staff get Korchinski stronger, and maybe a little meaner on the ice.
"I've noticed a big change in him in a year," Richardson said, "That's great and he's going to have to have another big change in a year.
"And I think part of it is mindset and personality on the ice," Richardson added. "Kevin is the greatest kid in the world. He'a real nice kid. He's got to get a little bit of an edge that he's not letting anybody into that crease." See video.
NHL or WHL in 2023-24
Because he's just 19, Korchinski had to play with the Blackhawks this season or be returned to his junior team, the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds. To prohibit talent poaching, an agreement with the CHL stipulates that 19-year-olds under an NHL contract can't be assigned to a minor pro affiliate.
So sending Korchinski to AHL Rockford wasn't an option. But the Blackhawks believed he wouldn't advance to the next level in Seattle after already being dominant in the Western Hockey League. So Korchinski has had a regular shift all season with Chicago, averaging 19:38 of ice time per game.
The move is paying off. Korchinski's smart decisions and plays with and without the puck are outweighing mistakes. He can skate the puck out of trouble, or skate with or without it on a rush. He's been smooth inside the offensive blue line and has an effective shot from long-range, netting his fourth and fifth goals in back-to-back games against San Jose and Los Angeles.
Korchinski credits Chicago's coaching staff. Richardson was a rugged NHL D-man for 21 seasons and first-round draft pick himself in 1987 by Toronto. Assistant coach Kevin Dean works more closely with defensemen on a day-to-day basis and has focused on mechanics with Korchinski, Alex Vlasic and Chicago's cadre of young blueliners. See video.
What are the biggest things Korchinski has learned so far?
"I think the biggest thing is just being confident in myself," Korchinski said. "Any player, whoever they are – if they're fast, slow, whatever – if they're confident in themselves, know their abilities and play their game, they're going to play to the best of their abilities. That's what I've gotta' start doing more of." See video.