With all of the additions at forward this offseason, Reichel will have a very hard time finding playing time near the top of the lineup like he was gifted at the start of 2023-24. Kyle Davidson wasn’t waiting around and hoping the young players could live up to the roles that were set aside for them right away last season. Instead, he expects the young players to earn their spots, Reichel included, although he wasn’t specifically named.
That being said, the expectation going into the 2024-25 season for Reichel is the third or fourth line on the wing. He was tried at center on the second line last season. His place in the bottom-6 depends heavily on his training camp and preseason as well as how Nick Foligno fares. The veteran will likely be in close competition for a spot on left wing on the third line.
For Reichel, I can see him being a healthy scratch more often than the Blackhawks would consider Foligno, despite being 36 years old. As of now Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, Teuvo Teravainen, Philipp Kurashev, and Ilya Mikheyev are all above Reichel on the depth chart when considering only wingers. And Foligno will be close.
Reichel has 12 goals and 32 points in 99 career games in the NHL. He recorded five goals and 16 points in 65 games last season after an impressive showing in 2022-23 where he scored seven goals and recorded 15 points in 23 games. The potential is there and the Blackhawks see it, but Reichel won’t get the opportunity to put up numbers offensively like he can if he is playing anywhere lower than the third line.
Even with potential linemates in Mikheyev and Andreas Athanasiou on the third line, Reichel isn’t going to produce 40-45+ points and break out. He will have to either beat out Jason Dickinson or even Athanasiou to play between two much better wingers on the second line or go another year stuck behind a lot of other players.
Some of the Blackhawks’ top players aren’t under contract for a long time, so this coming year and the following one will be massive for Reichel while on his current contract. I don’t expect a breakout in 2024-25, but I do expect improvement in all regards.
**Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard Struggles, Lukas Reichel Excels at IIHF World Championship**
With the influx of new forwards this offseason, Reichel will struggle to find top-line playing time like he had at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. Kyle Davidson is not waiting for young players to immediately fill their assigned roles. Instead, he expects them, including Reichel, to earn their spots, although Reichel wasn’t specifically mentioned.
Going into the 2024-25 season, Reichel is expected to play on the third or fourth line as a winger. He was tested at center on the second line last season. His position in the bottom six will depend on his performance during training camp and preseason, as well as Nick Foligno’s. The veteran Foligno will be a strong contender for the left-wing spot on the third line.
Reichel might be a healthy scratch more often than Foligno, despite Foligno being 36 years old. Currently, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, Teuvo Teravainen, Philipp Kurashev, and Ilya Mikheyev are all ahead of Reichel on the depth chart for wingers, with Foligno close behind.
In his NHL career, Reichel has 12 goals and 32 points in 99 games. Last season, he scored five goals and 16 points in 65 games after an impressive 2022-23 season where he had seven goals and 15 points in 23 games. While the Blackhawks see his potential, playing on a lower line won’t allow him to put up significant offensive numbers.
Even with potential linemates like Mikheyev and Andreas Athanasiou on the third line, Reichel is unlikely to produce 40-45+ points. To move up, he would need to outperform Jason Dickinson or Athanasiou to secure a spot on the second line with stronger wingers.
Some of the Blackhawks’ top players have short-term contracts, making the upcoming seasons critical for Reichel. While a breakout in 2024-25 is unlikely, overall improvement is expected.
