Korchinski not only has to earn his spot on the Blackhawks, but show improvement to hold it throughout the season over the top defense prospects.

Six defensemen in the Chicago Blackhawks organization are expected to make up the team’s top six in the NHL next season, but nothing is guaranteed for the young players like Kevin Korchinski as general manager Kyle Davidson made abundantly clear.

While Korchinski played all of last season in a top-4 role in the NHL, Davidson said, “Kevin (Korchinski) has got to come in and earn a spot.”

Better players than last season have been added on the back-end and that may not just decrease playing time for the 20-year-old sophomore. Korchinski might have to spend some time in the AHL for the first time in his career.

Korchinski wasn’t in a great spot to succeed last season as a 19-year-old defenseman on a thin team and was thrust into a larger role.

Per an agreement with the CHL, teen players have to play either in the NHL or be returned to their junior teams. The Blackhawks determined Korchinksi wouldn’t be challenged or improve back with the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds after dominating in 2022-23.

He was still too young for the AHL. That’s not the case in 2024-25.

This season, the Blackhawks’ young players will be fighting to earn spots on the team in training camp and non-stop during the regular season.

“Him (Korchinski), much like anyone else, has to come in and take a spot and he/the young guys are going to have to be convincing in doing so,” Davidson said.

Korchinski is eligible to play in the AHL in a top role rather than get minutes in the NHL equivalent to a fourth or fifth defenseman. That seems to be an option Davidson is contemplating if the 20-year-old doesn’t prove he is one of the top six D-men on the Blackhawks in training camp.

Assuming Korchinski does earn his spot, the start of the season is going to be  important for him to maintain his role in Chicago and to continue to get ample ice time for his proper development.

Seth Jones, Alex Vlasic, Connor Murphy, T.J. Brodie, and Alec Martinez are  highly likely to make up five of the defense spots on the Blackhawks. Two spots should remain if the team holds seven on the roster.

Korchinski should earn one while the other spot is left up to Artyom Levshunov, Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser, Nolan Allan, Isaak Phillips, and Louis Crevier. With all but Levshunov and Allan having played in the NHL, there will not only be a very tough decision made for the seventh spot on the team, but maybe even for Korchinski’s spot.

With Martinez and Brodie now on the Blackhawks, there are even more very experienced voices to talk to and learn from for the young D-men. Stability with a healthy Murphy should also help Korchinski if they are once again paired together.

If Korchinski makes the Blackhawks out of training camp, and he should, he would not only have had to earn his spot, but will have to hold it. Every one of the young defensemen listed above will be gunning for time in the NHL again or for the first time.

There is a lot of competition and that is a good thing. It should help push the development of many of the players forward, including Korchinski who has some pressure on him next season.