Blackhawks Sign 2022 1st Round Pick Kevin Korchinski (D) to ELC

It's time for some excited news out of Chicago! The Blackhawks announced today that Kevin Korchinski signed a three-year entry level contract (ELC). The deal has a yearly cap hit of $950k and will take him to the end of the 2024-25 season when he will become a restricted free agent. If he doesn't spend time with the Blackhawks this season, it's possible his contract will slide and end a season or two after 2024-25.

With a new era being ushered into the Chicago Blackhawks organization, there are quite a few milestones we will hit in the near future. Today, Kevin Korchinski became Kyle Davidson's first draft pick to sign his ELC. Kyle already started making his mark on the team by hiring a new Head Coach (Luke Richardson) and making some big trades (Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach). Now we get to see how his first draft pick as GM develops!

So, who is Kevin Korchinski?

Kevin Korchinski is an 18 year old defenseman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He's a very young prospect, having just turned 18 on June 21. He's already 6'1", and it’s possible he grows an inch or two before making it to the NHL.

Fun Fact: Kevin Korchinski was the first WHL player chosen in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

The Chicago Blackhawks drafted him 7th overall in the first round after acquiring the pick in a trade that sent 40-goal-scorer Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators.

Before you try to compare them, they are completely different players. The only similarity is that Korchinski and DeBrincat will both score points for your team.

It's unfortunate for the kid that he will forever be tied to that trade that the majority of Blackhawks fans were upset with. Just keep in mind that he wasn't the one who traded DeBrincat. Give the kid a chance.

Signing Kevin is an exciting moment and another step in us building organizational depth," said Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson. "We knew that we wanted Kevin to be a big part of this team's future, so we're happy to have him within our system, developing in this early part of his professional career. His confidence and positive attitude paired with his size will be assets as he continues to grow his game in the WHL this upcoming season.

Kevin Korchinski poses with Danny Wirtz and Luke Richardson at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft / Getty Images

According to eliteprospects.com, Korchinski is considered a high-risk, high-reward pick. He's a crafty player that doesn't get scared when the opponent challenges him on the forecheck. He can keep the puck away from them and pick his spots without panicking which makes him effective on the breakout.

Once in the offensive zone, he isn't shy about jumping up into the play to generate scoring chances. His offensive ceiling is sky-high, but there's no telling whether he hits his full potential. If he does, he could be the first unit power play quarterback for the Chicago Blackhawks for years to come.

The flip side to this is that Korchinski needs to improve the defensive side of his game. He needs to settle down more in his own end and make more smart, simple plays rather than chasing pucks and putting himself out of position.

With his already-expansive offensive toolset, Kevin Korchinski could be the perfect project for new Blackhawks head coach, Luke Richardson since he served many years as a defenseman in the NHL. If he can remain patient and teach Korchinski the finer details in the defensive zone, this could be a match made in heaven for Kevin's development. Now, Richardson won't have too much time with Korchinski before he makes the jump to the NHL, but we can assume he will be in Chicago for Training Camp. He can take little tips and tricks from there into his 2022-23 season and see how his defensive game develops.

As much as we would love to see our new prospect closer to home, it appears that Korchinski will be returning to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL for another season. There's certainly no concern there after he made a big jump from 2020-21 to 2021-22.

In the 2020-21 season, he only played 23 games with the Thunderbirds, registering 10 assists.

His official rookie season came in 2021-22 where he played 67 regular season games and set career highs in goals (4), assists (61!), and points (65). Compared to other defensemen in the WHL, his 61 assists ranked 2nd and his 65 points ranked 4th. He led WHL rookies in assists and led all first-time draft-eligible CHL defenders in points (EP Scouting Report).

In the postseason, he played 25 games for the Thunderbirds and scored 6 goals and 13 assists. Those 19 points led all WHL defensemen in the postseason.

With Korchinski now having his ELC signed, he’s a player to keep on your radar this season. It'll be interesting to see how his game progresses - especially away from the puck. We'll see if he can exceed his point totals from last season once again.

If all goes well, Kevin Korchinski could make an appearance on the United Center ice sooner rather than later. But there's no need to rush him. Let his play dictate when he's ready.