It seems Kevin Korchinski just can’t get away from Anders Sorensen. When it was brought up that Sorensen was Korchinski’s coach in Rockford and now again in Chicago, the Blackhawks defenseman laughed. “It’s kind of cool,” Korchinski said. “Anders was awesome in Rockford. Seeing him get to be the coach for us with the Hawks (after Luke Richardson was fired Dec. 5), it’s awesome to see his hard work pay off and see the success he has. … He’s a coach you want to play for. He brings the best out of you.” Korchinski has been trying to show his best since his call-up from the IceHogs on Dec. 8. He had averaged 18 minutes, 19 seconds in four games entering Tuesday’s game against the Washington Capitals at the United Center. Korchinski got the nod after Alec Martinez injured his neck Dec. 7 against the Winnipeg Jets and was placed on injured reserve. Seth Jones’ right foot injury also has depleted the defensive corps’ depth, though Jones skated Tuesday. “Hoping he’s going to return here shortly,” Sorensen said. “Day by day right now.” Time isn’t promised to Korchinski, but after starting the season in the AHL, he’s not worried about where he’s playing but how he’s playing. He went to Rockford with a mission: “Get my swagger back.” “Just try to use my legs more, try to use it offensively and defensively,” Korchinski said. “So I’m just working with staff down there, trying to make more plays, trying to get up the ice more and trying to play like I used to more in junior and what I got drafted for.” To sum it up: “More trying to take the game over.” The No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft, Korchinski played 76 games for the Hawks last season and had five goals and 10 assists, but by coaches’ and management’s estimation they asked too much from a young defenseman and he looked overwhelmed. Red Wings defenseman Antti Tuomisto and Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski get tangled up in the second period of a preseason game Sept. 25, 2024, at the United Center. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Korchinski had a chance to prove himself in training camp but didn’t show enough to secure a roster spot — not that he was expected to. “You never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I didn’t have a good training camp, obviously.” When the Hawks informed him he would start the season in Rockford after spending all of last season in Chicago, “I didn’t really take it negative or positive,” he said. “I took it and started to work to get back here.” The first thing that struck him was the rhythms of the AHL. “The first month we only played like seven games or something,” Korchinski said with a laugh. “Definitely it was a different schedule than an NHL schedule.” Korchinski said he didn’t focus on getting back to the NHL, instead trying to stay present and work on his game. And have fun. “It was really good playing a lot of minutes, playing (penalty kill), power play, five on five, just being able to make plays out there,” he said. Said Sorensen: “His game took some steps in the right direction, his habits got a lot better. Those are the biggest things for him. We want him to play with creativity, we want him to be on the rush. It’s just a matter of some of those habits defensively, and he’s been a lot better there.” Related Articles Chicago Blackhawks | Column: It’s been a hard year for some G.O.A.T.s, from Bill Belichick’s career switch to Michael Jordan’s real estate Chicago Blackhawks | Connor Bedard scores the game-winner with 54 seconds left: 6 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks win Chicago Blackhawks | Today in Sports History: Blackhawks play first game at Chicago Stadium Chicago Blackhawks | Chicago Blackhawks’ 3rd-period meltdown spoils Drew Commesso’s 1st NHL start. 5 takeaways from the 4-1 loss. Chicago Blackhawks | Chicago Blackhawks call up Frank Nazar, their top offensive prospect: ‘When I heard the news it was a lot of joy’ Hiccups will happen — Korchinski’s offensive-zone turnover Saturday in New Jersey led to a Devils goal — but he has shown improvement on defense. And in confidence. “I think my stick and my positioning and just my calmness has gotten a lot better,” he said. “You can always get better, but it’s gotten a lot better since the start of the year, even last year.” On the other end of the ice, “there are a lot of good things he’s done offensively,” Sorensen said. “If it’s off the rush or even in-zone play, offensively on the blue line, he’s done some good things, (pinching) in to get some chances that way too.” Korchinski said Sorensen’s teams play “how I like to play: getting up to the ice.” “It’s awesome to see that he wants the forward to hit the late D (with a pass) or the D to help lead the rush and drive the middle, stuff like that,” Korchinski said. “So it plays well into my game, and I’m excited.” Korchinski also has felt comfortable in his return to the locker room, and it helps that the 20-year-old has plenty of familiar faces around his age. “There’s obviously a lot of the younger guys that you hang out with and you played with last year,” he said, mentioning Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser and Lukas Reichel. He was particularly excited to reunite with rookie defenseman Nolan Allan, a fellow Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, product who played with Korchinski on the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds in 2022-23. “We train in the summer together,” Korchinski said. “I didn’t play with him last year but I played with him in Seattle. … He’s a pretty chill guy. We kind of chirp each other, but it’s good.”