Luke Richardson makes it clear how he feels about Lukas Reichel with major demotion

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Joshua Deeds
October 8, 2024 (11:30)

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It appears that Luke Richardson has made a final decision regarding the 13th forward in the Blackhawks lineup.

He has seen enough over training camp to choose who will be sent to the AHL, and who will remain in reserve.

Any NHL team has a 13th forward on the bench or a 12th if they're rolling with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Unfortunately for this season, it looks like Lukas Reichel didn't do enough to earn a spot on the lineup this season.

Despite coming back from the dumps last season, to have a successful end of 2023-2024, he has once again found himself in Luke Richardon's crosshairs, as a Blackhawks player struggling yet again.

He hasn't made the lineup and hasn't made enough mistakes to be sent to the AHL.

He'll remain in limbo, on the bench until he has the chance to prove himself again, as the 13th forward for the Blackhawks.

Richardson feels that Reichel could afford to produce more on the ice, and given that the team needs to be more competitive he'll have to ride pine until then.

«I thought tonight obviously the same as everybody else, skated well, took charge of a couple of rushes,» Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said after his team's 6-2 win. «There was one rush where he had a real nice play and had a shot on net that just missed in the second period. There was one not long after that where I think he wanted to change it up and in his head he had his mind made up that he was going to pass it, but I thought the option was to shoot it and he tried to force something through and it just didn't get through. I think we got to get them comfortable with it's not being selfish, like I said, it's being a team guy. You're making the right play. I'd like to see him take that one more step.»

Source: New York Times
Blackhawks observations: How much patience will Chicago have with Lukas Reichel?

This is also constructive criticism from after the game against the St. Louis Blues, it sounds like the issues from last season have reared their ugly head yet again.

If Reichel is to make the regular lineup and steal a spot, he'll have to be more aggressive with the puck.

That includes shooting it as well.

In 65 games with the Blackhawks in 2023-2024, he played 65 games and scored 16 points( 5 G, 11 A) and would play 10 games in the AHL with the IceHogs scoring 8 points( 1 G, 7 A).

How much longer till the Blackhawks decide to give Reichel a fresh start? The 2020 1st round pick looks like he may not have what it takes to make the roster.

Perhaps, he needs a change of scenery to get out of his head because his time with the Blackhawks is uncertain from our perspective.