This Blackhawks defensive pairing could be a lot of fun for years to come

The Chicago Blackhawks are going into the 2023-24 season looking to improve.

Last season for the Blackhawks was all about getting the rebuild started on the right note, aka tanking for the first overall pick, and it worked! This season the Blackhawks are going to want to be a little bite more competitive, while still working to get another top draft pick once again.

The Blackhawks have a number of young prospects that should be in the lineup this season. Lukas Reichel and Connor Bedard are going to be big parts of the Blackhawks offense, and on the defensive side of things Kevin Korchinski could be apart of the best defensive pairing the Blackhawks have had in a long time.

This Blackhawks defensive pairing could be a lot of fun for years to come

Assuming all goes well at training camp, Kevin Korchinski could be making his way into the NHL this season. The Blackhawks drafted Korchinski with the seventh overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, a pick they added via trade with the Ottawa Senators for Alex DeBrincat.

Korchinski did not make his NHL debut last season, instead he returned to the Seattle Thunderbirds for another season in the WHL. Last year he registered 73 points in 54 games with the Birds, he added 14 more points in the playoffs.

Korchinski also played for Canada’s U20 team at the World Juniors. In seven games he scored a goal and put up four points. Heading into training camp it is looking like Korchinski will be playing alongside Connor Murphy, a pairing that could be one of the best around in a few years.

Korchinski has size and skill. His skating helped earn him his draft position and he should be someone the Blackhawks rely on in a lot of offensive positions this season. The Blackhawks choosing to pair Korchinski with Connor Murphy should make for a lot of fun this season.

Connor Murphy is the longest tenured Blackhawk at this point. His defensive skillset are his physicality and ability to defend in his own end. Chicago could be setting up one of their next great defensive pairings with Murphy and Korchinski.

This season Korchinski will have the opportunity to make plays offensively while Murphy stays back to defend should Korchinski make a mistake.

The Hawks might still be in rebuild mode, but their roster is starting to show little glimpses into how good this team can be in a few seasons. Murphy and Korchinski together as a pairing could be one of those glimpses.

The Blackhawks start their preseason schedule with a matchup at home on Sept. 29 against the St. Louis Blues.

Want your voice heard? Join the Puck Prose team!

Write for us!