On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks sent forward Lukas Reichel to the AHL Rockford IceHogs. From the Four Feathers Podcast, to within the fanbase on the internet, the discussion regarding Reichel and Rockford has been ongoing for quite some time. Now, Reichel is expected to return to Rockford, re-gain his confidence, play with a sense of aggression, and potentially return to the NHL before the season ends.
At the end of the day, this move might be long overdue. Lukas Reichel should have been sent to Rockford after an unsuccessful stint as the everyday second-line center. Understandably, injuries kept Reichel around longer than potentially intended. However, his intent was to be a center, and when he wasn't getting the job done, they decided to move him to wing out of necessity.
If the plan was that all along, to make Reichel their second-line center of the future, then diverting off the broken path when he started to struggle was maybe not best for his development.
Reichel is now being replaced by Anthony Beauvillier in the Blackhawks' lineup now that he has returned from injury. The Blackhawks are in action on Mon., Feb. 19 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
That said, there is some onus on Reichel as well. The 2020 first-round pick dazzled with the Blackhawks late last season. In two separate stints with Chicago, Reichel tallied 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 23 games. On the flip side, in 50 games this season, Reichel has only accumulated 10 points (three goals, seven assists). It has been a night and day difference for Reichel, and that is likely related to his confidence in his game.
There is plenty of hockey left at both the NHL and AHL level this season, meaning a successful 10-game, or more, stint for Reichel could bring him back to the NHL. The key for Reichel is re-gaining that confidence that helped him post 51 points in 55 AHL games in 2022-23.
If Reichel can re-establish himself, then there is very much a future in Chicago for the German forward. But, if Reichel continues to struggle at the AHL level for the rest of the season, then the talks around his future might turn negative quickly.
Reichel's first opportunity with the IceHogs takes place on Mon., Feb. 19. The IceHogs will be in Des Moines, Iowa taking on the Iowa Wild. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CST. The game can be found on AHLTV with a subscription.
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