Reichel will head into 2024-25 with a new contract and confidence after picking up his game in the AHL playoffs and at the IIHF World Championship.
The Chicago Blackhawks are building for the future, and quickly. One of the big pieces is 2020 first-round draft pick Lukas Reichel who had a tough first full season in the NHL.
The 22-year-old German still has upside, despite a frustrating and inconsistent 2023-24 when he scored just five goals and 16 points in 65 games. The Blackhawks and general manager Kyle Davidson know it.
Reichel was rated as Chicago's top forward prospect by THN's Future Watch in 2023, several months before the Blackhawks were able to draft Connor Bedard No. 1 overall. That's why confidence was put in him with a two-year, $1.2 million AAV deal after the NHL regular season ended.
Even though the season was over for the Blackhawks, it wasn't for Reichel. He was sent down to the AHL to play for the Rockford IceHogs in their postseason. Davidson spoke on the contract extension saying, "We do believe in him, but there's also a prove it aspect to this." See following video.
In every way Reichel could, he has proven himself since. In four playoff games in the AHL, he scored two goals and recorded four points. A point-per-game is impressive however you swing it.
Then Reichel skated for Germany at the IIHF World Championship.
The AHL is one thing, but when any player has a chance to represent his home country with a prove-it mentality and does so, it's a great sign. Reichel wasn't facing AHLers in the tournament. He was up against a ton of NHL players from different countries. Some are the top players on their teams.
Germany is a growing hockey country, but it's not at the level of some others. This means Reichel's teammates at the 2024 Worlds weren't all top-tier players — only four others have played in the NHL.
Regardless, he took over and scored three goals and seven points in six games. His team didn't make it very far, but he was dominating at a higher level, more similarly matched to the level of NHL play.
There was a lot of pressure and expectations put on Reichel at the start of the 2023-24 season despite him playing just 34 NHL games to that point. He was slotted as the second line center behind Bedard, but that didn't pan out and he even was sent to the AHL for 10 games during the regular season to regather himself.
Reichel may not be under a rush to get his game together and start to take giant steps forward, but it seems like he is on the right track heading into next season after his showing in the AHL playoffs and at the World Championship. He wasn't the biggest name from the Blackhawks in the tournament, but he made the most noise and raised the most eyebrows, proving he can do more in the NHL next season.
