It's Pointless: Blackhawks No. 2 Forward Prospect Lukas Reichel Struggles On Offense

Before the Blackhawks drafted Connor Bedard in 2023, Reichel was rated as Chicago's top prospect by THN Future Watch. The 21-year-old has yet to record a goal or assist after nine games.

Lucas Reichel seemed perfectly positioned for a quiet breakout this season, skating in the shadow of Connor Bedard. 

Through the first month of the 2023-24 NHL campaign the 21-year-old Reichel has been a little too quiet.

Reichel was ranked as the Blackhawks No. 1 prospect by THN Future Watch before GM Kyle Davidson took Bedard at the top of what should turn out to be a bountiful 2023 draft for Chicago. But Reichel, selected in the first round, 17th overall in 2020, has been held without a point through Chicago's first nine games. 

It hasn't been for lack of opportunity. The speedy German was slotted as the team's No. 2 center behind Bedard, working as a pivot for a variety of swift wingers including Andreas Athanasiou.

"He has to know that we believe in him," coach Luke Richardson said. "But then he's the one who has to step on the ice and do it."

Richardson says he's seen a lot of good things in Reichel's game so far, even if he's a minus-9. Richardson and his staff have been reviewing the positive points, and ones that need attention, with the forward. See the video clip.

The soft-spoken Reichel, the nephew of former NHLer Robert Reichel, improved considerably last season skating mostly for AHL Rockford. The objectives were to: 1) get the still-wiry forward stronger physically as a pro and 2) allow him to apply his speed as a center in defensive zone coverage, then to transition quickly to the attack.

Reichel had 20 goals and 31 assists in 55 games for the IceHogs in 2022-23. In 23 games in several call-ups to the Blackhawks, the 6-foot-0, 175-pound forward also showed progress, netting seven goals and eight assists.

So, a full-time job this year in Chicago seemed logical. And with Bedard in the spotlight, the pressure on Reichel would be reduced. He could fly under the radar.

Reichel is averaging 14:33 and nearly 18 shifts per game. He's taken 19 shots, although the new NHL Edge stat feature ranks his shot velocity below the 50th percentile. Still he's had his share from high and mid-level scoring areas. https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-848211

"It just hasn't found the back of the net for him yet," Richardson said. "I thought he had some good speed over the last couple of games and he's playing pretty responsible defensively, and I don't think that's taking away from his offense.

"As long has he continues to stay positive and working hard like he is, he's going to have a breakthrough game."  See video.

The Blackhawks experimented with moving Reichel to the wing this week to shake things up in practice ahead of home games on Saturday against Florida, and Sunday against New Jersey and leading NHL scorer Jack Hughes. Interestingly, Reichel has been OK on faceoffs, winning 51.3 percent.

But Reichel isn't the only player on the 3-6-0 Blackhawks who hasn't been producing. Chicago has scored 19 goals while allowing 32.

"I feel like I got chances, but I just gotta' bury them," Reichel said. "Sometimes you just need a little puck-luck, or a bounce off a skate. That's what I had last year, a couple of tips that went in. This year they're not going in." See video below.