Head Coach Luke Richardson on Lukas Reichel's Future with the Chicago Blackhawks

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Joshua Deeds
October 26, 2024 (11:23 PM)

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The Chicago Blackhawks have a long leash for Lukas Reichel this season. The former 1st round pick has found himself in what many would consider a dire situation on the fourth line.

He's found himself here, due to the lack of confidence which saw him play 10 games in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs last season, where he'd score 8 points( 1 G, 7 A) in that timeframe.

The Blackhawks have instead kept Reichel's development progressive, and it may have paid off.

Reichel's utilization has decreased but he has found a way to contribute, to an experimental, but awkward bottom six with wingers Pat Maroon, and Craig Smith.

They are the muscle he's the playmaker, we could presume.

Reichel's helped Craig Smith find the back of the net twice, against the Buffalo Sabres.

Reichel vs The Preds

Tonight they will need Reichel to play his best against a 1-5 Nashville Predators who will look to make the Blackhawks another victim in their dumpster fire season.

Richardson had a discussion with Reichel after practice and was asked about it by the local media:

«I was just saying he's doing good things,» Richardson told us after practice on Wednesday. «When somebody is struggling or does something that's a little bit off of our structure, you try and talk to them and bring them back, and you want to make sure you talk to them when they do something well as well.»

He's received positive reinforcement, which seems to be working, and it sounds like according to Richardson he could see his responsibilities on the ice increase soon too.

Richardson said they're going to look to get Reichel some more run on the power play when they can. We'll see how the lines look at practice today to have a better idea of where he might slot into the rotation at even strength (Taylor Hall was absent yesterday)

Reichel's game has improved with 3 games under his belt, 2 points, 8 shots on goal, and 10:04 time on the ice.

With a cf% of 53.8% Reichel, Maroon, and Smith control the puck while they're on the ice. If they can continue to do so tonight, they should be a force to be reckoned with by a Predators team who have been in a slump.

Let the hunters become the hunted, as the Hawks turned the Predators into prey.