Kevin Korchinski has dressed once for the Chicago Blackhawks this season. That's exactly why his name keeps drifting toward Toronto.
Elliotte Friedman flagged the 22-year-old as a defenseman to watch this year. He added that Chicago held discussions with other teams about him during the offseason.
And the Maple Leafs suddenly have a reason to pick up the phone. Chris Tanev is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and is expected out until at least Oct. 19.
Toronto fell 5-4 in Utah last night to slide to 3-3-1. Buffalo comes to town Thursday, and this blue line has already surrendered 23 goals in seven games.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson logged 17:40 in that loss. The 35-year-old is still held scoreless through seven games, and he went to the box twice in the desert.
Then there's Darren Raddysh. Toronto's highest-paid defenseman at $8,500,000 already sits at a -5 rating.
Jim Hiller's back end leans on Morgan Rielly at 32, Jake McCabe at 33 and Troy Stecher at 32. Nobody on that list is getting quicker in transition.
Miles Wood's contract is the hidden piece in this Blackhawks pitch
The proposal making the rounds sends Colorado's 2028 first-round pick and defense prospect Noah Chadwick to Chicago. Miles Wood gets tossed in if the Blackhawks want an NHL body back.
Here's the problem. Wood is 31, has been listed with the Marlies this season, and carries a $2,500,000 cap hit through 2028-29.
A first-rounder for a blueliner with one game played is already a steep price. Asking Chicago to absorb Wood's deal too? That's buying a used car and leaving your old couch in the trunk as payment.
Kyle Davidson won't bite on that version. Korchinski costs $1,325,000, and his lone appearance this season ended at minus-2, so the GM isn't selling high either.
Chicago's depth chart explains the logjam. Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov and Alex Vlasic have all played every night or close to it, with Ian Cole still eating minutes at 37.
The Blackhawks also sit at a -12 goal differential through seven games. A club bleeding that badly might want a defenseman back, not a winger on a long contract.
Toronto has walked this road before. Emil Andrae went to Columbus in the Knies-Marchenko trade and has one assist with a +2 rating through three games there.
Calgary's Zach Whitecloud remains the other name tied to the Leafs. He logged 24:16 last night in a 4-2 win over Anaheim.
These two clubs haven't met yet. Their first matchup comes Nov. 17 in Chicago, and by then Tanev could be back, or Korchinski could be wearing a different sweater entirely.
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Should the Maple Leafs give up Colorado's 2028 first-round pick to land Kevin Korchinski?
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