With Lukas Reichel being an important part of Chicago’s rebuild, it was only a matter of time before he was given another look with the Blackhawks. That time has come as CapFriendly reports that the winger has been recalled from AHL Rockford, but he was a healthy scratch Friday night against Los Angeles.
Expectations were high for the 21-year-old coming into the season after how he fared last season in Chicago when he collected seven goals and eight assists in just 23 games. With the Blackhawks having several openings up front, the hope was that Reichel could grab hold of a full-time top-six role.
However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Reichel struggled in a variety of spots on the depth chart while also getting a look at center for a handful of games. He wound up notching just three goals and seven helpers in his first 50 appearances, resulting in Chicago deciding to send him down last month for a bit of a reset.
While Reichel didn’t light it up with the IceHogs, he did have some success with a goal and six assists in nine appearances. Last year, Reichel made his biggest impact following a post-deadline recall and now, the Blackhawks hope that history will repeat itself. With Reichel being a restricted free agent this summer, he’ll be counting on a big finish to help his case in contract discussions in the offseason.
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