Blackhawks Bottom Line: A Revival for Lukas Reichel

Over the course of the next month, Chicago Hockey Now will be profiling every Chicago Blackhawks player from the 2023-24 season. Today, will be forward Lukas Reichel.

Lukas Reichel
Left Wing
Games Played: 65
(Goals – Assists – Points): 5-11-16
Contract Status:  RFA

The Short View

Lukas Reichel was supposed to be a major part of the core this season. He was supposed to have taken the next big step–the one that Philipp Kurashev leapt forward with. Instead, the first 50 games of his season were mired in frustration and it ended with a trip back to Rockford to figure things out. It seemed to do the trick and Reichel returned with some mojo and momentum heading into next season.

The Long View

Reichel had just ten points in his first 50 games this season and after being nearly a point-per-game in eight games with Rockford, Reichel bounced back with six points (2-4) in the final 15 games of his season. That Reichel drove the net, danced through defenders, and had a few highlight reel plays in his second tour with the Blackhawks. But for all that momentum, there were still a number of questions lingering once the season ran its course.

The Bottom Line for Lukas Reichel

The Chicago Blackhawks have an interesting offseason ahead and on that list is Lukas Reichel’s contract negotiations as a restricted free agent. Reichel doesn’t have arbitration rights–so his leverage isn’t there as it was for Kurashev. Neither are his numbers. Using Kurashev’s deal as a bellwether, he had nine more points and four more goals which earned him two years at $2.25M AAV. Kurashev won a good $825k more than the Blackhawks wanted to pay out. The 21 points he netted the year prior, though, earned him $750k.

So where might Reichel fit in? It really depends on how the Blackhawks value him. Will they offer a one-year show me deal that challenges Reichel on the short and allows him a crack at arbitration–similar to Kurashev? Maybe locking him up until he’s an unrestricted free agent at a discount since he didn’t put up the numbers expected?

Reichel is still very young–he’ll be just 22 in two weeks, and showed flashes that had many banking on him being a driver of Chicago’s offense in 2023-24. That didn’t happen–and neither did a full season with the Blackhawks. Another season of patience seems the prudent move but there’s also that element of concern that maybe he doesn’t move the needle more next year.

Two goals and three assists in his final 10 games encourages. But both the Blackhawks–and Reichel–are hoping for even more next season.