ROCKFORD — Blackhawks center Connor Bedard has matured from boy to man at remarkable speed this season. Ninety miles northwest, defenseman Kevin Korchinski has experienced the same transformation.
A more comfortable, more grounded, more enlightened Korchinski — still only 21 — opened up about his evolution over the last two years at the BMO Center, the IceHogs’ home arena, on Wednesday.
When the 2022 seventh overall pick made his NHL debut alongside Bedard in October 2023, he didn’t imagine he would be 15 games into his second AHL season in November 2025. That suggestion might’ve upset him at the time.
“I was 19, trying to make the team,” Korchinski said. “You don’t really care about your future; you just want to play well.”
But now he not only has accepted his assignment but embraced it. He has learned the patience required to navigate the unpredictability of life as a pro athlete.
“The AHL is a tough league, but . . . I get to play a lot of minutes, use my ability and work on things, knowing that I’ll be able to make those plays more consistently,” he said.
“It should translate better than just going into the NHL and surviving. It takes a lot mentally, losing and not playing as well as your standards in the past. It can change your game. I think my confidence is at an all-time high the past couple of years, just [by] being able to make plays out here.”
There’s a long-term vision in his head now that didn’t fully exist when he was younger.
“Obviously, you want to be as good a player as [you can be] now, but I want to be the best I can be when I’m 24 or 25,” he said. “I want to be a difference-maker at the next level. The staff in this organization know what’s best for me. . . . Life is a journey where you want to learn every day and never cap yourself off.”
That vision isn’t distracting Korchinski from the present, new IceHogs coach Jared Nightingale said.
“It’s rare for prospects to be where your feet are, but he’s shown up with a good attitude,” Nightingale said. “He’s not sulking that he’s not up. He’s taking good steps and trying to improve because he’s still a young player with a lot of hockey left. It’s wise that the Blackhawks have him here to continue to round out his game.”
The Hawks’ overarching challenge with Korchinski has always been obvious but tricky. He didn’t simply need to become competent defensively. He needed to become so stellar that he could stop thinking about it and shift his focus back to the offensive skills that made him a special prospect.
During his first two pro seasons, that didn’t happen. The Hawks and IceHogs were outscored 85-48 and 50-34, respectively, during his five-on-five ice time.
This season, that might be changing, although the sample size is small. Entering Wednesday, he had 10 assists, and Rockford had outscored its opponents 13-8 during his five-on-five shifts.
“Using the stuff I learned the last couple of years defending-wise, [I’m] not having to worry so much about that,” Korchinski said. “It’s more in the back of my head, more natural now. I’ve given up a lot less than the last couple of years this year, which equates to playing more [in the offensive] zone, making more plays and getting more chances.”
It will take time for Korchinski to prove he’s ready to handle the NHL full-time again, especially the strength of NHL players with his slight frame.
The Hawks’ current defensive corps has played well, which creates a roadblock, too. So the organization eventually will need to make some difficult personnel decisions.
Korchinski grasps all of that now, though, and he’s willing to keep grinding in Rockford in the meantime.
Rooting for Bedard
This unexpected developmental route hasn’t prevented Korchinski from following the Hawks’ improvements this season. He’s especially excited for Bedard, with whom he formed a close friendship back in 2023-24.
“He’s on an all-time heater right now,” Korchinski said. “It’s been unbelievable. At the same time…we all knew, having played with him, that was the player he was. Maybe he wasn’t producing at that level, but let’s just say I’m not surprised he’s doing what he’s doing.
“Hopefully he ends up on that Olympic team. I’ll be rooting for him.”
In addition to serving as an alternate captain, Bedard notched another three goals Tuesday, helping the Hawks extend their point streak to six games with a 5-2 win.
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