4 things we learned from Chicago Blackhawks training camp, including Kevin Korchinski trying to avoid ‘risky’ business

The Chicago Blackhawks dialed up the second day of training camp Friday with skaters breaking off into line rushes.

Connor Bedard centered a line with Ryan Donato and Tyler Johnson.

“They all have an ability to shoot,” coach Luke Richardson said at Fifth Third Arena. “Whoever has the puck, that means the defending team really has to really honor that and that allows the other guys to get open.”

Lukas Reichel manned the middle between Philipp Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou.

That was Reichel’s most common combination in 23 games last season, and they showed chemistry, but look for the Hawks to shake things up as soon as Monday and Tuesday scrimmages.

“I’d like to try a lot of those players with different people as we go along here, and we will in the exhibition games,” Richardson said. “But I thought it was a good start to give Connor some guys who have experience at scoring at the NHL level and the ability to make plays at his intelligence level as a player.”

Richardson wants to see players’ intensity but warned not to go overboard.

“I’ve asked them to not run guys into the fourth row because we are on the same team but to play hard and get ready for exhibition games,” he said.

Here are four things we learned from camp.

1. Taylor Hall’s injury has kept him out of camp.

The projected top-line winger with Bedard and Johnson has a lower-body injury, as does depth forward Colin Blackwell.

“It’s frustrating for everybody,” Richardson said, ”but we’re just waiting for more information for Taylor and Blackwell’s timeline.”

Hall missed 20 games late last season with the Boston Bruins.

“(We) thought it might be a possibility (heading into camp), but you never know until you get here,” Richardson said. “We’re just waiting to get a little more information and hopefully it’s a go.”

2. Kevin Korchinski is a study in risk management.

Richardson said a young defenseman with Korchinski’s offensive gifts must be careful not to overplay the offensive zone: The puck can quickly head the other way and end up in your net.

“He’s so quick and he glides so well on his feet that sometimes he gets himself into trouble,” Richardson said. “The speed will get him into trouble, and sometimes it gets him out of trouble, which is a good quality.

“So he needs to play on the defensive side. Let the puck come to him.”

Added Korchinski: “I don’t plan to be too risky” and will be “just easing into it” when it comes to offense.

“You don’t really, at this level, do it all yourself,” he said. “There’s unbelievable players all over, so get them the puck, trust them and let them do what they’re great at.”

3. With more responsibility comes more scrutiny for Lukas Reichel.

Reichel will be counted on to take a bigger role as a center, which means it’s even more imperative he’s active on defense.

Richardson gave Reichel a gentle reminder the first day of camp: “Even defensively we want you to use your skill,” Richardson said Thursday. We don’t want (you) to be on your back foot and be the cool, like cut-pass, and ‘it’s just practice’ kind of player. It’s not summer hockey.

“We play defense faster so you get the puck quicker and I’m sure that’s what you want. He smiled and agreed.”

On Friday, Richardson said his tweak was just about one play and not a chronic problem with Reichel.

“(His) line today was probably the best line we saw in practice,” he said. “They were flying, all three of them, in the drills.”

Richardson just wanted to “give him a little challenge when he gets the puck in the D-zone, just kind of get his feet going.”

4. Incumbents see the competition.

Jarred Tinordi relishes the chance to bond and mentor a deep and talented group of young defensive prospects but he acknowledged a harsh reality: “There’s still kids going for my job, so I’ve got to bring it too.”

It’s the same for forward MacKenzie Entwistle, who has staked out a role as a fourth-liner but knows he must fend off acquisitions from recent drafts, trades and free agency.

“You don’t have to be a genius to know there’s a lot of forwards here,” Entwistle said. “You count the numbers and there’s a couple of us fighting for some spots.”

He said the competition’s healthy: “That pushes guys to do better.”