Could Blackhawks rookie Kevin Korchinski develop over time like Predators star Roman Josi?

Seth Jones looks at Blackhawks rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski and sees shades of Predators defenseman Roman Josi.

Josi’s status as an annual Norris Trophy contender — including this year — belies the fact he entered the league in 2011-12 as an incomplete player, albeit one with a high ceiling. When Jones arrived in Nashville for his rookie season two years later, Josi was just then cementing his status as one of the Predators’ cornerstones.

Josi and Korchinski are both 6-1, both left-handed shots and both offense-leaning. Josi is about 16 pounds heavier than Korchinski (186 vs. 201 pounds), but that gap should narrow over time.

Korchinski has received more ice time than rookie Josi did (19:38 vs. 18:23 per game), shot the puck more than rookie Josi did (9.5 vs. 7.7 shot attempts per 60 minutes during five-on-five play) and will finish with roughly equal production to rookie Josi (14 vs. 16 points), albeit in more games.

And Korchinski has also struggled somewhat in his own zone — particularly when trying to match up physically against more experienced opponents — the same way rookie Josi did.

“When Korch moves his feet, he can wheel the net, go end-to-end and make things happen,” Jones said. “On this team right now, we’re playing in the ‘D'-zone a lot, so that’s what you see a lot, unfortunately. He’s got to learn that side of the game, too, and make other top lines in this league say, ‘No. 55 is out there, so we’ve got to be sharp because he’s got a great stick.’ Or, ‘He cross-checks me in the low back,’ or something like that.”

“I remember [the Predators] had some of the same issues back then with [Josi]. They’re very similar-type players. I think ‘Korch’ could be a Josi in this league. It’s big shoes, but they do play that similar style.”

Korchinski doesn’t know Josi personally. Their hometowns of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Bern, Switzerland, aren’t exactly close, and Friday marked only their fourth time facing each other.

Nonetheless, he knows he can learn a lot by studying Josi, who has racked up 62 goals and 235 points over the past three seasons combined — ranking second among NHL defensemen in both categories. His skating abilities might already be on-par, but his stick skills are not yet.

“The main thing with him is how he shoots the puck,” Korchinski said. “He shoots it like he wants to put it through the net. For me, it’s [about adopting] that killer mentality. When you have the puck in the lane, you’re going to try to blast it through the guy’s shin. If you can get that mentality, guys aren’t going to want to block it as much.”

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Hawks coach Luke Richardson agrees. He was probably hoping for more than five goals from Korchinski so far this year, although that number isn’t too surprising (Josi also scored only five his rookie year), and he has frequently urged him to shoot more often — in addition to giving him extensive coaching about defensive techniques.

“Josi, when you see him winding up, he’s scraping the rafters,” Richardson said. "[Opposing players], if they’re not way out on him, then they’re wincing and getting smaller because they’re trying not to get hurt.

“That will just come naturally with Kevin. He seems to really enjoy when he scores a goal; he’s got the biggest smile on his face. So we want to see that more. That should be enticing for him to shoot that puck.”

Korchinski has always had plenty of NHL role models to observe, mentioning Canucks star Quinn Hughes and Golden Knights stalwart Shea Theodore (another Seattle Thunderbirds alumnus) in the past.

But Josi is a good addition to that list. The Hawks would understandably be thrilled if Korchinski’s development continues to follow a comparable trajectory.

Summer plans

Few players on the Hawks — or even around the league — have a more important offseason ahead of them than Korchinski, who has been hearing for months how important it will be for him to use these quiet summer months to build up strength.

“It’s going to be good just to really grind in the gym,” he said. "[I’ll] get a lot stronger, quicker, faster and be able to battle more with men, because the league is filled with men who are strong.

“Obviously, you’ve got to take a bit of time off to let your mind refresh, but I feel pretty fresh. [I] just want to get as good as I can for next year.”

He plans to head back home to Saskatoon for the summer, and his skills coaches and off-ice workout schedules are already determined and booked. Richardson has given him some advice on what to emphasize.

More weight, more muscle mass and more strength should make it easier for him, come next season, to not only box out around the crease and win board battles in the defensive zone but also get more Josi-like power behind his shots.

“He doesn’t have to be a big open-ice hitter like [Jarred] Tinordi,” Richardson said. “He’s a different type of player, but [he] uses speed to get in there. I know around here people have seen Duncan Keith do that for years — steal pucks and go on the offense. That’s where we want him to elevate to.”