Blackhawks want Kevin Korchinski to play to his strengths in defensive roster battle

Defenseman Kevin Korchinski is walking a fine line at Blackhawks training camp. He must strike a balance between demonstrating his defensive improvements and showcasing his offensive talent.

Korchinski, 21, hasn’t yet reached the lofty expectations the Hawks had for him — based on his prolific production in juniors and his elite skating ability — after drafting him seventh overall in 2022.

He has been a work-in-progress defensively and, because of those defensive struggles, hasn’t had much puck possession. That has limited his opportunities to produce. He had 27 points in 56 games for Rockford of the AHL and only two in 16 games for the Hawks last season.

Still, there’s plenty of time for him to put things together, especially because defensemen generally take longer than forwards to develop. Perhaps a different perspective from new Hawks coach Jeff Blashill will help.

‘‘ ‘Korch’ has to utilize his best assets,’’ Blashill said. ‘‘If part of that best asset is being offensive, you can’t lose that . . . as you’re getting good defensively. [But] everybody has to be good defensively in order to play in this league. It’s almost impossible to outscore your mistakes.

‘‘One thing is, when I talk to him about his strengths, he talks about his skating. I think he can use that skating offensively in a sense of beating people up the ice . . . but he can also use his skating defensively to shut down plays [and] gap [up]. And if you do that, you spend more time in the ‘O’ zone.’’

Korchinski walked an equally fine line when deciding how much weight to put on this summer.

He has overhauled his diet in recent years, eliminating processed foods in favor of meats and vegetables, which has made it easier for him to gain weight in healthy ways. He and the Hawks acknowledged last spring he needed to get stronger this offseason, too.

Ultimately, he leveled off at 198 pounds, just a few more than he weighed entering camp last year (195 pounds) and in 2023 (193 pounds). Familiar reasoning was behind that decision.

‘‘I spent a lot of time in the gym, but I’ve got to [keep] what makes me great,’’ Korchinski said. ‘‘I can’t turn into a different player. I can’t get bulky and slow and turn into a shutdown ‘D.’ I’m going to play to my strengths.’’

The Hawks’ six preseason games — starting Tuesday at the Red Wings — will give him an opportunity to prove he deserves an NHL roster spot. And that’s a crucial opportunity because he appears to be on the outside looking in right now.

Three pairings have been staples in camp so far: Alex Vlasic with Connor Murphy, Ethan Del Mastro with Sam Rinzel and Wyatt Kaiser with Artyom Levshunov.

Behind them, Louis Crevier might have an inside track on the seventh and final defensive spot because he now would require waivers to be sent to Rockford. (Korchinski and Nolan Allan remain waiver-exempt.)

There’s also veteran Matt Grzelcyk on his professional tryout. Blashill implied Grzelcyk will get a contract only if some of the Hawks’ young defensemen struggle during camp, indicating they need more time in Rockford. But Grzelcyk practiced with the second power-play unit Monday.

Del Mastro’s placement with Rinzel, a roster lock, is probably the most surprising aspect of those pairings. Blashill has praised Del Mastro’s ‘‘way of making plays . . . without being high-risk.’’

Crevier, meanwhile, said he strengthened his core and glutes this summer, hoping to address some back tightness he previously has experienced.

And Allan said he improved his flexibility and skating edge to round out his physicality-based game. Everyone is trying to make his case.

‘‘All the young ‘D,’ we’re all friends,’’ Korchinski said. ‘‘It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon. This competition — wherever each of us ends up — is going to make us all better as individuals.’’