Almost immediately after their 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Mar. 15, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that Lukas Reichel had been recalled from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
The team also announced that Zach Sanford would be sent down to the AHL to make room for Reichel.
The move comes less than a month after Chicago sent Reichel to the minors to work on his game. The 21-year-old forward had three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 50 games with the Blackhawks this season, but after scoring his third goal of the season on Dec. 19, he was held scoreless in his last 20 games, only producing three assists.
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When sent down on Feb. 18, he had a team-worst plus-minus rating of minus-28. Considering he had been moved up and down the lineup and played mainly on the third and fourth line in January and February, the numbers left head coach Luke Richardson and his coaching staff just as frustrated as Reichel.
Reichel’s Time in the AHL
I wrote on Feb. 21 that sending Reichel to the minors was the right move. I wanted to see a shift in the amount of effort Reichel gives in a game, as it felt like he was only doing the bare minimum through chunks of the season with the Blackhawks.
Beyond the effort, it felt like Reichel desperately lacked confidence with every shift. General Manager Kyle Davidson told reporters on Mar. 8 that he hoped the move would kickstart something for the struggling prospect.
“Just another way of trying to kickstart, whether it be confidence, whether it be the play, getting more puck touches, more play, or just trying to get some positive momentum going,” Davidson said. “It’s been a tough year for him, but he responded very well.”
Davidson also said that he’s watched plenty of videos of him with the IceHogs and has seen one game in person, and he thinks Reichel is “trending the right way.”
“There’s some positive momentum there. We’ll look to carry that on a bit longer. We’ll just kind of keep an eye on him, and when the time’s right, we’ll make a decision on where he needs to be,” he said.
It looks like that time is now. Through nine games with the IceHogs, Reichel scored one goal and six assists for seven points, adding 17 shots on goal. Having watched a handful of Rockford’s games, it’s clear that Reichel is chasing pucks with more urgency, and his defensive game has greatly improved from where it was with the Blackhawks throughout the season.
The Blackhawks’ head coach agrees.
“This is a good time to get him back here while his confidence is at a higher level compared to when he left,” Richardson told reporters after the Mar. 15 game against the Kings. “We’re a little healthier unit now, as well, we can get him with some players that can complement him and help him out.”
What to Expect From Reichel
In short, be better. There are only 15 games left in the 2023-24 regular season for the Blackhawks, which means just one month for Reichel and the rest of this lineup to make an impression on the coaching staff.
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Don’t forget that the three-year deal he signed before the 2021-22 campaign is set to expire at the end of this season. Reichel will be a restricted free agent, so there’s no doubt he’ll want to leave management with a good taste in their mouths before they negotiate his next contract.
Before the arrival of Connor Bedard, there was a case to be made that Reichel was the Blackhawks’ No. 1 prospect, right there with Alex Vlasic and Kevin Korchinski. It’s now up to the 2020 first-round pick to prove both scouts and himself right.
