The first draft pick that Kyle Davidson made as the full-time General Manager of the Chicago Blackhawks was Kevin Korchinski, 7th overall in 2022. Since then, his development has had an up-and-down curve.
Before his NHL career started, Korchinski won a Gold Medal with Connor Bedard at the 2023 World Junior Championships. He has big-game experience, and that could come to help him down the line.
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Korchinski played his entire rookie pro season in the NHL, where there were some good and bad moments. Over the last two years, however, he spent most of both seasons in the AHL. He was an All-Star both times, including the All-Star Game MVP in 2025.
He is still working on becoming a full-time NHL player again, which is becoming increasingly difficult with all of the young talent around him.
The Blackhawks clearly believe in him, however, as the restricted free agent locked down a two-year extension on Saturday. He is going to carry a cap hit of $1.325 million, starting in 2026-27, and that will go through the 2027-28 season.
If Korchinski wants to become an important NHL player rather than an above-average AHL player, he has two years to put it all together. If he blossoms into his full potential, this will be a great deal for Chicago over two years. At the same time, there isn’t much risk if it doesn’t work out.
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Korchinski has a lot to prove, but the skills are there for him to do so. Now, he must take advantage of this opportunity to get better with an organization that has invested in his long-term success.
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