Pressure comes with the territory when you are a first-round pick at the NHL Draft. That pressure only grows after you have had time to dip your toes into the ocean that is the NHL. Chicago Blackhawks 17th-overall pick Lukas Reichel finds himself in this position. His feet are wet after playing 65 games last season, but he struggled mightily to swim. After notching five goals and 11 assists while posting a minus-29 rating, more eyes are focusing on Reichel heading into the 2024-25 season. He certainly seems poised for a bounce-back season.
Should he deliver, what will that break-out season look like? What is reasonable to expect from the 22-year-old on a team looking to take a significant stride forward? Given Riechel’s talent and the pieces added in the offseason, Blackhawks fans can expect him to look more like the 17th overall selection he is.
Reichel Has the Talent
Sometimes when a young player is selected high in the draft the question of whether his talent will translate to the professional level arises. Reichel answered this question by posting two strong seasons with Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest level of professional hockey in Germany. In 2019-20, the season before his draft, he scored 12 goals and 12 assists in 42 games. He followed that campaign up with 10 goals and 17 assists in 38 games. Then, he notched 21 goals and 36 assists in his first American Hockey League (AHL) season and 20 goals and 31 assists in his second. Clearly, he can produce on the professional stage.
The NHL, of course, is an entirely different stage, and questions remain about Reichel’s production in that spotlight. Even though he has scored only 12 goals and 20 assists in 99 NHL games, the young forward deserves patience. A look at his fellow 2020 draft picks reminds us that players progress at different paces.
First-overall pick Alexis Lafrenière did not silence his critics until last season, his fourth in the NHL. Tenth-overall selection Cole Perfetti is still looking to find his stride with the Winnipeg Jets, especially after signing a two-year contract extension this offseason. Others like Quinton Byfield, Tim Stützle, and Lucas Raymond, who have established themselves as consistent point producers, did not achieve that immediately.
All this to say, given Reichel’s talent and NHL experience, he is poised to succeed. Expecting 20 goals and 30 assists from him does not seem unfair or unwarranted.
Veteran Additions Will Help Reichel
Surrounding Reichel with proven NHLers will position him to reach those numbers. Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Craig Smith, and Pat Maroon joined the Blackhawks forward group, and Reichel does not have to play on a line with them to benefit from their presence. They will not only create more space but also, and maybe even more importantly, they will demonstrate the right way to play. Taylor Hall will do the same, returning after playing a mere 10 games last season.
Related: Blackhawks’ Tyler Bertuzzi Can Bring Chicago Back to Glory
The defensive additions of Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie should also catalyze Reichel’s offense by ensuring the Blackhawks are not pushovers in their own end and providing protection for the young guns, ultimately creating more scoring opportunities.
The Blackhawks have lacked mentorship in recent seasons. Having players who know what it takes to succeed in the NHL will help Reichel, and all the team’s young talent, grow into the players fans have hoped to see.
For Reichel, however, success this season will be about more than point totals. General manager Kyle Davidson told the media at the start of training camp:
I expect him to compete hard for a top-six spot. He’s been around enough to know what the expectation is, to know what the NHL requires from a consistency standpoint. He just has to round out his game, right? Finding that consistency game to game on both sides of the puck, finding some confidence offensively will be a key for him but also figuring out how to defend consitently at the NHL level is going to be a big key for him this year.
Davidson made it clear that Reichel must show he can be trusted defensively—an area he has struggled with since coming to North America. He has never posted a positive plus/minus season in either the AHL or NHL. Again, the veteran leadership should help stop some of the defensive hemorrhaging (the Blackhawks were fourth in goals allowed per game last season) and teach Reichel to defend more effectively.
The team will still struggle defensively, but it is fair to be optimistic that it will improve overall. Reichel’s defensive numbers should mirror that improvement. An improved plus/minus (aiming for breaking even), fewer giveaways, and more puck possession as a team with Reichel on the ice is not unfathomable, especially if he improves his offensive numbers.
Numbers and More Than Numbers
Of course, if Reichel steps up and delivers an eye-popping offensive season nearly all criticism and skepticism will be silenced. However, it is much more likely that he will take a solid, noticeable step forward. An increase in offensive production and a decrease in defensive lapses will indicate that. Alongside these statistics, the eye test will be important. Will Reichel be a difference-maker in every game? Will he stay in the NHL all season? Will he win puck battles? A competitive, strong Reichel who makes his presence known will be equally important as the Reichel who scores goals. We should expect both this season.
