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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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Kevin Korchinski is a man in demand. National Hockey League teams have been lining up to talk to the draft-eligible defenceman since the Seattle Thunderbirds were eliminated in the Western Hockey League final. 

"Doing a lot of Zoom calls with a lot of teams," said the 18-year-old from Saskatoon. "I wasn't at the combine and teams want to get their draft lists set relatively soon. They don't want to do it at the last minute. So, this week and next week is full of Zooms ... Each day I get a new Zoom request." 

Korchinski fields a lot of similar questions during the interviews. 

"It's not too hard just answering the questions and being truthful because it's not hard to tell the truth," he said. "But when they hit you with a question that's not to do with hockey, a random question, it kind of throws you off a bit."

For example? 

"A team asked what my [hidden] talent was and I said, 'I play the piano,'" Korchinski said. "They asked me to play piano for them, but I hadn't played in 10 months because we don't have one at my billet house. I said, 'Not going to happen. I don't want to do myself like that!' That would've been tricky, because I haven't played in a while." 

Instead, Korchinski has been busy playing a big role on a surprising Seattle team that came back to win series against the Portland Winterhawks and Kamloops Blazers before bowing out against the Edmonton Oil Kings. Korchinski has hit a lot of the right notes while racking up 65 points in 67 regular season games and then adding 19 more over 25 playoff games. 

Korchinski started the season as a 'B' rated prospect on the players to watch list published by NHL Central Scouting, which means he was considered a candidate to be picked in the second or third round. In the mid-season rankings, he was No. 20 among North American skaters. Korchinski ended the year at No. 7. 

In an interview with TSN this week, Korchinski outlined the ways his game evolved this season and explained why Vegas Golden Knight Shea Theodore is the perfect role model for him. Korchinski also revealed why he started tickling the ivories as a kid. The following is an edited transcript of the conversation.   

TSN: How would you describe your style? 

Korchinski: "I'm a puck-moving defenceman. I love joining the rush. I love to create offence and I do that by using my feet, using my passing and my puck skills." 

TSN: Why are you so good at breaking the puck out? 

Korchinski: "I can't really explain that too much. I've always had a knack for getting my head up and looking for the pass. I've been around the game for a while so that comes with a bit of experience." 

TSN: Who is your NHL role model?

Korchinski: "I compare my game to Shea Theodore. He's a player our coaching staff pointed out as someone I can build my game towards. He was a really offensive player in junior and he's translated his game to the next level and been more of a two-way player. That's something I want to do and keep improving." 

TSN: What do you notice when you watch Theodore video? 

Korchinski: "The confidence. He's a player with a lot of confidence and has a great shot. That playoff run he went on when Vegas made the finals was pretty special. With me being a Thunderbird and him being an ex-Thunderbird, it's really cool to compare myself to him." 

TSN: Four goals versus 61 assists this season, is there room for you to grow as a goal scorer? 

Korchinski: "For sure. In the playoffs, I scored six goals so over the course of the year I got more confident with my shot and worked at it. Next year I'll utilize my shot more. I was more of a pass-first guy this year because it was working so well. Next year I'll look to score more. That's something I'll try to implement in my game." 

TSN: You started getting penalty-kill shifts as the year progressed. What improvement did you make defensively this season? 

Korchinski: "It got a lot better as the year went on. At the start of the season I was pretty bad and needed a lot of work. Me and the coaching staff targeted it as something I'd work on in practice and focus on in games."

TSN: How did you work on it? 

Korchinski: "A lot of video. I learned when to do certain things and when to be aggressive and when to manage the game. So, it's about adding that hockey IQ to your repertoire."  

TSN: How much have you grown physically in the last year and how has that helped you? 

Korchinski: "At the start of the year, in the pre-season, I measured 6-foot-1 and one quarter and then at the CHL Top Prospects Game I measured 6-foot-2 and one quarter. I don't think I'm done growing and that adds to how much I can put on weight-wise. Once I finish growing I'll be able to put on more weight and be better defensively and more physical."  

TSN: How much more room do you have to grow? 

Korchinski: "I couldn't tell you (smile). I haven't stopped so you never know." 

TSN: Does it effect your skating? 

Korchinski: "Actually, it kind of helped my skating. Three years ago, when I was a smaller player, I was more choppy. I wasn't fluid. When I grew, I got stronger and it smoothed out." 

TSN: What growth have you seen from teammate Reid Schaefer, another draft-eligible player, this season? 

Korchinski: "The jump he had from last year to this year was huge. He worked so hard on and off the ice, in the gym, just everything. Over the course of the year he got more confident and the coaches gave him more leeway and just trusted him more. He was always that player. Next year he's going to have an even bigger role and make an even bigger jump because that's the player he is and the person he is too." 

TSN: He drew a penalty on you at the CHL Top Prospects. He said you tripped him. Your response? 

Korchinski: "No, he dove (laugh). He’s a strong kid. He should stay on his skates." 

TSN: TSN director of scouting Craig Button has you No. 10 on his final prospects list. What do you think about when you hear that? 

Korchinski: "The improvement I made from the start of the year. You see that in those type of lists. I try not to take too much stock from it, though. What matters most is what the teams think … But it's a great honour to be on lists like that. Those are lists I grew up looking at and I always followed the draft as a younger kid."

TSN: When did you learn to play the piano?  

Korchinski: "I started taking lessons in Grade 1 but I quit in Grade 8, because I was getting busier. I like to fiddle around in the summers with it." 

TSN: What do you like about it?

Korchinski: "Early on I didn't really like it, but my mom kind of forced me (smile). She loves the piano so she wants her kids to play piano for her so she can listen. As I matured and grew up, I enjoyed it more and did less lessons and more just songs and fiddling around. Now, I have a better appreciation for it."