The Journey of Lukas Reichel as a Chicago Blackhawk

Former Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman picked Lukas Reichel in 2020 with the 17th pick of the first round. For many it was a bit of a surprise as the German forward showed up on most scout service lists somewhere in the late 1st to early 2nd round as a baseline for where he may be selected.

Blackhawk Up even recalled the pick in an article months ago at the time of Reichel's healthy scratch that the Blackhawks did pass on Dawson Mercer in lieu of the speedy forward from Nurnberg, Germany. For most, it was a typical Stan Bowman move. Here was a player that clearly had a lot of talent and promise, but also some question marks to his game, that was now going to be soley viewed as a mid 1st round selection. But should he be?

Here is the Blackhawks' "On the Clock" video from the selection in 2020:

You can see how happy Lukas was being selected by the team he grew up watching. As the days went on and fans and media alike started to get to know him, the narrative started to shift. Here was a good hands, crafty wing for whomever the next generation 1st line center was going to be. A player that could score, keep possession, and receive difficult passes from other skilled players.

Lukas Reichel in his time from draft prospect to Chicago Blackhawk: