It would be great if the Chicago Blackhawks could get the type of play Germany gets out of Lukas Reichel.
That version of Reichel plays well and looks like an offensive force that everyone has been hoping he would become in Chicago. He had seven points during last year's World Championship and was having a good tournament this year before an injury knocked him out.
The player the Blackhawks have been seeing has been extremely frustrating to watch.
It has been a vicious cycle of him playing well enough to get bumped up to the top six, then he struggles, loses confidence, and eventually gets scratched.
He also has found new and inventive ways to get scratched than scoring goals.
The hope was that by now, he would be producing big offensive nights with Connor Bedard on the top line. Instead, it feels like he allowed himself to be a forgotten, promising young player the moment Bedard showed up.
Once upon a time, Reichel was the team' most hyped prospect. His offensive potential was immense. All he has produced is 20 goals and 34 assists in 169 games. The hope was that he would have 20 goals and 34 assists last season.
Such a disappointment.
However, he is still under contract with a shot to show the front office what makes him special to Germany.
When Reichel is skating confidently, he is one of the best players the Hawks have with the puck entering the offensive zone. He combines his speed with his solid size to set up a rush.
The problem it is rare that he is skating confidently.
It is fair to wonder if he will still be a member of the Blackhawks once the Olympics roll around.
General Manager Kyle Davidson could be tempted to trade the 23-year-old forward if Reichel gets off to another slow start next season.
There was speculation around the trade deadline that teams were interested in trading for Reichel, believing he needed a change of scenery to reach his ceiling. Davidson rightfully held onto Reichel, given that he is still in the early stages of his NHL career.
Some guys are late bloomers. Although it is getting late, early out there, as Yogi Berra famously once said.
The franchise just cannot keep waiting around for him to be better than a fourth-line winger like he is right now. If he is another regular healthy scratch during the 2025-26 season, then Davidson might want to explore seeing if a different organization can unlock Reichel.
Hopefully, Reichel avoids that, and the Blackhawks get the international version of Reichel next season. It would be great to have that guy who plays confidently and with the production that matches his skill.
