9 young players to watch as the Chicago Blackhawks open training camp, including Kevin Korchinski and Cole Guttman

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The biggest questions will take care of themselves when the Chicago Blackhawks open training camp Wednesday.

General manager Kyle Davidson and coach Luke Richardson will start the day by fielding questions about the big picture and the small details — and the elephant in the room: What’s going to happen with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews?

Will they stay or seek trades?

But that’s a matter for another day. With Davidson hitting the reset button on the team’s personnel pipeline, it’s just as pressing to examine how the prospects fare against pro competition during practices, scrimmages and preseason games.

The younger players — and their development — will set the long-term agenda. But their first task during the two-week camp is just showing they can keep up.

“Man, it’s always exciting to get out there and play with the big boys,” said defenseman Nolan Allan, a 2021 first-round draft pick. “So it should be good.”

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This year’s top draft pick, defenseman Kevin Korchinski, said he looks forward to “testing myself and seeing what I need to work on and just being out there with the big guys and seeing how I fare. … (I’m) trying to learn as much as I can about myself and see where I need to work on.”

The Hawks will announce the camp roster Thursday, but here’s a look at nine likely invitees or players who confirmed to the Tribune they received invitations.

Forward; 2020 first-round pick (No. 17)

The Hawks had a little scare Friday during the prospect showcase at Fifth Third Arena when the Minnesota Wild’s Adam Beckman checked Reichel headfirst into the glass, but Reichel returned to the game. After he and Colton Dach left, the Wild rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-2.

Reichel looked like he was in another class amid the prospects Sunday with four assists in a 5-0 victory over the Wild.

“Reichel was really good today,” said Rockford IceHogs coach Anders Sorensen, who ran the prospect camp. “He took his game to another level here.”

Reichel has legitimate aspirations of being an everyday NHL player to start the season. He said he gained 15 pounds to weigh in at 185 and improved his conditioning.

“I feel more comfortable, just in my mind, (since) last year,” he said. “It was like everything was new — new team, everything — and now I know so many people and (have) my friends.”

Sorensen added: “He looks a little bit stronger, a little bit more comfortable within traffic and contact than he did last year. So happy to see that progress.”

Defenseman; 2022 first-round pick (No. 7)

It will be interesting to watch how quickly Korchinski acclimates to a higher level of play at training camp. He looked at ease during prospect camp balancing his defensive responsibilities with augmenting the offense by joining the rush or making smart passes into the neutral zone on breakouts.

“That’s something that has always been part of my game, trying to thread the needle,” Korchinski said, “but finding a happy medium, that’s an idea I look in the future to do.”

Said Sorensen: “He’s got some abilities that are off the charts offensively … really good instincts, both defensively and offensively. He wants the puck. He’s got a quick step and he wants to get in there.”

Defenseman; 2019 second-round pick (No. 43)

Vlasic didn’t have many standout moments during prospect camp, but he had nothing to prove there. Coaches and teammates already know what they have.

“He’s phenomenal,” said Korchinski, who often was paired with Vlasic during practice. “He does everything out there. He can move the puck, he can skate well, he can defend the rush, he can join the rush. So being partnered with a guy like that really helps you.”

Vlasic played 15 games with the Hawks last season and has a good shot to make the roster.

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Defenseman; 2020 fifth-round pick (No. 141)

Hawks brass saw enough from Phillips last season in four NHL games and 64 with Rockford (10 goals and 15 assists) — as well as from fellow blue-liner Jakub Galvas — that coaches elected to sit them during the showcase.

Sorensen marveled at Phillips’ athleticism and said he has improved in other areas.

“He’s a little bit more composed now than he came in originally,” Sorensen said. “Some of his habits have improved … just learning how to play against pro guys, learning how to understand who you’re on the ice with, stuff like that. He’s come a long way.”

Forward; free agent

The Hawks signed Guttman last month to a two-year entry-level contract ($950,000 cap hit), and it’s looking like a good move.

He impressed throughout prospect camp and scored a goal in each game against the Wild.

Over the summer, Guttman said, he added muscle and explosiveness and focused on fine-tuning certain skills.

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“Just skating in tight, working out of the corners a lot,” he said. “Definitely shooting as well as pulling in and pushing out and shooting and all the individual skills like that.”

Sorensen said Guttman plays with pace.

“He’s a winner,” Sorensen said. “His details in his game are really good.”

Forward; 2022 third-round pick (No. 81)

Paul Ludwinski said he had the highest motor in the draft, but fellow Hawks draftee Savoie might have something to say about that.

During two games, he hit any Wild prospect in his vicinity — plowing one into his own bench — chased down pucks and worked the dirty area for a rebound goal in Sunday’s game.

“Great character,” Sorensen said. “I mean, he works, and he’s another guy that’s inside the dots, he’s around the net. He’s a competitive bugger.”

Sorensen was asked if Savoie’s style reminded him of anyone.

“Andrew Shaw type, maybe?” he said. “Big shoes.”

Forward; 2022 second-round pick (No. 39)

We’ll have to wait to see whether Ludwinski participates in camp. He had a nasty collision with Wild prospect Michael Milne on Sunday.

“He’s a worker, he’s inside the dots a lot,” said Sorensen, adding that Ludwinski “plays through guys.”

Ludwinski’s calling card is hustle, but he’s aware that energy level ramps up with each camp: development, then prospect, now main camp.

[ [Don’t miss] Paul Ludwinski wanted to be the next Patrick Kane — but now the Blackhawks prospect is happy to follow in Jonathan Toews’ footsteps ]

“Today’s practice was a bagger for me,” he said during prospect camp Thursday, “just because I was on (penalty kill) with one other guy and we’re constantly going, so that kind of drained all my energy.

“But I skate and condition like that … so I don’t look out of place, I don’t think.”

Defenseman; 2021 first-round pick (No. 32)

Allan looked like a faster skater during the prospect games and paired with Korchinski on the penalty kill.

“Just trying to focus on my skill and try to become a more well-rounded two-way defenseman, moving pucks, picking up pucks off the boards, continuing to work on my strengths,” Allan said. “That’s what’s going to propel me to get better.”

Sorensen said Allan defends well.

“Some of his habits with his stick, the way he moves, defends, he’s come a long way,” Sorensen said.

Sorensen said Allan’s challenge, like many young players, is to master the nuances of the NHL. That includes learning how to handle himself in situations against veterans, “how you have to be more aggressive on some guys, how you’ve got to back off on some guys — learning the game within the game.”

Goaltender; free agent

During prospect camp, Söderblom practiced on the other rink with the veterans.

He played three games with the Hawks and 38 with the IceHogs last season. He said he feels “more explosive, more powerful” after work in the gym this summer.

Söderblom said he has improved “moving lateral, post to post, like passes across the ice. Just be there fast and in position, then you have more time (for) saves. That’s a key for me and my game.”

The Hawks praised his progress last season, and he’s entering the second year of a two-year entry-level contract. But the Hawks traded for Petr Mrázek and signed Alex Stalock to back him up.

Söderblom said he doesn’t see it as a setback.

“Yeah, patience for sure,” he said. “I want to be in the NHL one day, so however long it’s going to take. It’s nothing that’s stressing me out. I’m just having that goal and then time will come.”