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Here Is What You Would Do With Lukas Reichel vs. What the Chicago Blackhawks Are Doing

By Todd Welter |
/ Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
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Lukas Reichel's first full NHL season is not going well.

Once the Chicago Blackhawks' top prospect, he is playing like he was forgotten about the moment Connor Bedard was drafted by the franchise.

It is hard to watch considering Reichel was supposed to be an offensive force along with Bedard.

Instead, Lukas has nine points on the season with just three goals. He has just one point this month and his last goal came against the Colorado Avalanche in December. That performance against Colorado provided hope he would break out of his slump. Instead, he just got worse.

His advanced numbers are brutal. Reichel's confidence looks like it has been shot to the point where he has not shot the puck in his past three games.

So how should the Chicago Blackhawks solve this problem with Reichel?

Nick Foligno is set to return from injured reserve, so someone is about to lose some playing time. That is why addressing Reichel's struggles with some sort of roster move is coming to a head. Head coach Luke Richardson and general manager Kyle Davidson have the following options...

1) Let him work through his struggles.

It is what they are doing with struggling goalie Arvid Soderblom. The Hawks are not competing for a playoff spot. Injuries have decimated the roster to the point where the Blackhawks are once again in the running to land the best odds in the NHL Draft Lottery. The prize is the chance to draft another generational talent in Macklin Celebrini.

Reichel continuing to play has not helped the Hawks win much, but it sure has helped another inadvertent tank. Plus, not being competitive in the standings should allow him some patience as it is not like he is blocking another stud prospect. Yes, Colton Dach is an exciting prospect, but he is being given his full time to develop in Rockford much like Reichel was granted.

2) Bench him.

Maybe a few nights as a healthy scratch are what Reichel needs to clear his mind. Richardson did make him a healthy scratch earlier in the season. Lukas admitted it was a wake-up call.

Soderblom has been given some grace to work on his game in the NHL. He also has been limited in how much he has played. When Arvid has played, he has shown improvement. That could work for Reichel too.

3) Send him down to the IceHogs.

A trip to the AHL might be needed. He does have 41 career goals in Rockford. After the initial shock of being demoted wears off, Reichel's confidence can be rebuilt once he starts to see some pucks get through the net in the minors.

This is a 21-year-old former wunderkind, so he is still too young to give up on and just trade away. Something needs to be done to salvage his career.

We asked you what would be the best option be.

Our poll on X, formerly known as Twitter, revealed the majority of the fan base believes Reichel should be demoted.

A demotion makes sense. A lot of his issues are just focus, confidence, and engagement in the game. A trip to Rockford might get him to realize he cannot take the NHL for granted. Who knows what is going on in Reichel's head? Only he knows, but his body language on the ice right now shows a player who would rather be any place else.

If that is the case, he can enjoy the AHL life with that attitude.

Okay, that is a little bit harsh. It is not like we want to see him fail. This is still a very highly skilled offensive player. The Hawks desperately need players like him. Especially to play with Bedard.

We have seen the offense get bogged down with Bedard sometimes because players are just standing around watching him do amazing things. That is what happens when you pair him up with less skilled players. Think about how the offense looked with Patrick Kane last season compared to when he was out.

That is not a slam on Bedard. It is just a call to get more talent capable of playing with Bedard. Reichel is one of those players. Heck, the Colorado game was a classic example of that.

He had a chance to be the offensive focus when Bedard was lost to a fractured jaw. Reichel instead got worse.

Maybe the next wakeup call needs to come in Rockford.

What solution are the Chicago Blackhawks going with?

It appears Richardson is going with benching Reichel.

With the possibility of injuries always looming over this team like a dark cloud, keeping Reichel in the NHL is not a terrible idea. The Hawks are about to start a four-game west coast/western Canada road swing.

Having Reichel physically with the team is needed if another forward goes down instead of trying to find him a flight to say, Edmonton from Grand Rapids if he is needed. The logistics make too much sense.

Make no mistake about it, he would be one of the first players the Hawks call back up in case they need to fill a spot. He can still physically skate at the NHL level and fill spots on all four lines better than what the Hawks currently have in Rockford. Although demoting him and not calling him right back up would send a message.

At the same time, that might be too harsh. Plus, it is not like the organization is disgusted with him. Richardson feels bad for the kid.

Maybe Reichel just needs some time to sit in the press box to get his competitive juices flowing. He did seem to skate better after his early-season, one-game benching. Maybe a longer stay as a healthy scratch will finally get him going.

If that does not work, then the Blackhawks need to get him going to the IceHogs.

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