The Blackhawks might send Kevin Korchinski to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs for the 2024-2025 season.
Korchinski, picked seventh in the 2022 draft, played 76 games last season. Chicago has been thinking about this move for weeks. Mark Lazerus from The Athletic mentioned it last month. Signing veterans TJ Brodie and Alec Martinez on July 1 makes more sense now.
Some people didn’t like signing both veterans because they thought it took spots from young defenders like Wyatt Kaiser and Isaak Phillips. If Korchinski starts in the AHL, Kaiser and Phillips will probably make the opening-night roster, says Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. Louis Crevier and Ethan Del Mastro are also in the mix .
Last season was tough for Korchinski. He came straight from juniors to play a top-four role with Chicago, which was hard without much support on defense. He had moments of brilliance with five goals and ten assists but ended with a -39 rating, the worst among Chicago defenders.
Development Strategy:
Injuries kept him from getting a break last season. The signings of Brodie and Martinez were likely made to give flexibility for Korchinski’s development. Fans might think this is a smart move to help him grow better.
With Seattle Thunderbirds, he was amazing offensively post-draft with 11 goals and 73 points in just 54 games! His +50 rating was impressive too! In playoffs, he added another 14 points as Seattle won the WHL championship. He even shined internationally at the World Juniors with four points in seven games for Canada.
It’s still early to say if Korchinski won’t be on the opening-night roster at all. Starting Kaiser and Phillips in third-pairing roles could be better for long-term plans while letting Korchinski build confidence at a professional level.
What do you think? Should Korchinski start in AHL or NHL?
