Players to Watch: Blackhawks vs Blues (9/27/22)
Kevin Korchinski of the Chicago Blackhawks via NHL.com
This isn't a drill; There is Blackhawks hockey on tonight!
After an incredibly long offseason, the boys are ready to hit the ice at the United Center to take on the St. Louis Blues in their first contest of the 2022-23 preseason. It doesn't need to be repeated how much different the roster will look this year - it really only gets more depressing the more you think about it.
But there is still hope, my friends. Luke Richardson is now at the helm, and the players seem to be buying what their new Head Coach is selling. And behind the scenes, it seems like Kyle Davidson actually has a plan to get this franchise back on track to some sort of success. There are going to be some tough years, but every great resurgence has to start from a low point.
There are now some promising kids in the system. We still have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, for now, to make things feel a little normal. And, if nothing else, hockey season means there is hockey to watch. And what's better than watching hockey?! Yeah, yeah . . . watching your team be successful and whatnot . . . I get it. We just have to remind ourselves that better and brighter days are ahead.
It all starts here.
Since there are no previous games to talk about, here are your three players to watch TONIGHT!
Kevin Korchinski
Every Blackhawks fan on planet Earth is skeptically curious about Kevin Korchinski. Poor kid, the skepticism doesn't have anything to do with him or his game. It all comes from unfairly comparing him to Alex DeBrincat. When the Blackhawks traded DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in the summer, one of the assets they received was the 7th overall draft pick - which they used on Korchinski. Again, poor kid. The good thing is Korchinski is a defenseman. So he won't have to spend his entire career with his goal scoring abilities directly compared to Alex freaking DeBrincat. But, if he doesn't turn into a serviceable NHL-er . . . fans aren't going to be happy. Korchinski is headed back to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL when their season starts, so he doesn't really need to prove himself in preseason. But, it will be interesting to see how he matches up as an 18 year old. By all accounts, he's looked good during camp. But NHL game action is a whole different beast.
Petr Mrázek
The Petr Mrázek and Alex Stalock era is officially here. We can only assume that Mrázek is slated to be the #1 goaltender for the Blackhawks this season. With stops in Detroit, Carolina, and Toronto, Mrázek has shown flashes of brilliance. The kicker? He's also incredibly inconsistent and has had the majority of his seasons of late destroyed by injuries. Perhaps the best news for Mrázek this year is that there's absolutely no external pressure on him. The Blackhawks don't need him to come in and save them and drag them to the playoffs. They actually need quite the opposite. Maybe a low-pressure environment will allow him to get back to promising form and intrigue a competitive team at the deadline. Or the season will spiral out of control and he will lead the way to Connor Bedard. Either way, we get the first taste of what he will bring to this team tonight. I am definitely curious.
Cole Guttman
Every year in Training Camp, there's a surprise prospect. This year it may be Cole Guttman. As a relatively unknown free agent asset out of college, Guttman came into camp and has made quite a positive impression. He showed some offensive instincts in the Tom Kurvers Rookie Showcase and took his standing as a depth Rockford player to a name that may be at top of mind for an injury call up. The real test is seeing how he matches up against NHL competition. We get to see that tonight. Who knows - maybe he breaks out and forces his way onto the opening night roster.
Puck drops at 7:30pm CST!