When the Blackhawks assigned young defenseman Kevin Korchinski to Rockford on Oct. 2 last year, it was big news.
When they did so Tuesday, it was rather predictable. The only surprise was the timing of the move. It came before their fourth preseason game, a 3-1 loss to the Red Wings.
The Hawks are being patient with Korchinski, whom they drafted seventh overall in 2022, knowing plenty of defensemen don’t reach their primes until they’re much older than 21 years old.
But considering he played in 76 NHL games — albeit 76 chaotic, inconsistent games — as a rookie in 2023-24, it is somewhat concerning that he now falls squarely in the AHL group of the Hawks’ camp roster two years later.
Forward Frank Nazar was sent to Rockford alongside Korchinski last year and has developed a lot more than Korchinski has in the time since.
Korchinski’s lack of physical strength helps explain why the Hawks are comfortable letting equally inconsistent young defenseman Artyom Levshunov develop in the NHL but don’t feel comfortable letting Korchinski do that. Levshunov already is built like an NHL player, at least.
It’s worth noting that coach Jeff Blashill said the Hawks would send down some guys who ‘‘are capable of being NHL defensemen this year’’ and ‘‘equal to some of the guys who are here.’’
Later, Blashill also noted Korchinski will be called up for one more preseason appearance this weekend.
‘‘It’s not like in youth hockey, where you either make the team or you don’t,’’ Blashill said. ‘‘Other guys are going to get mixed in and out of this.’’
Blashill also noted Korchinski will be called up for one more preseason appearance this weekend.
Rinzel’s lesson
Rookie defenseman Sam Rinzel has a stranglehold on the quarterback role of the top power-play unit. And his ultra-early results there generally have been promising, even though the Hawks’ power play went 0-for-6 against the Red Wings.
He’s an antidote for stagnation, keeping everyone in the group moving their feet with his constant shiftiness at the point, and his offseason work on getting shots through traffic has been evident.
But Wings forward Jonatan Berggren taught Rinzel a lesson about NHL strength and awareness at the end of one power-play shift, coming out of the box to body Rinzel off the puck in the Hawks’ defensive zone and set up a goal.
Young defenseman Ethan Del Mastro’s preseason-long struggles continued, as well. Veteran tryout Matt Grzelcyk didn’t do much of note in his 13 minutes, but Del Mastro’s miscues might be paving Grzelcyk’s road to a contract nonetheless.
Allan’s innovation
Grzelcyk’s only other competitor for the No. 6 defenseman role is Nolan Allan, who didn’t dress against the Red Wings but likely will get one more shot this weekend.
Allan’s physicality is an asset, but the question always has been whether he’s mobile enough for the NHL.
At home this summer in Saskatchewan, he tried a new training device to help with that: DriBlades, skate blades designed to be worn on rubber gym floors. That allowed him to do off-ice exercises while wearing skates, working the same muscles he uses on the ice.
‘‘We were able to squat with them,’’ Allan said. ‘‘We did a lot of skater-stride stuff with them, like pushing out, and working on stride recovery, too. [It’s] just with small amounts of weight, but it’s actually hard when you’re in your skates.
‘‘It helps you unlock that mobility, so it feels like you’re lower in your stride and you’re strong on your edges.’’