Reichel, selected 17th overall back in 2020, has recorded 58 points in 174 career NHL games. He currently has one year left on his contract, paying him $1.2 million. Chicago did not retain salary.

Analysis

When Reichel was drafted, many scouts and analysts considered it a reach. Many mock drafts had Reichel as an early second-round, maybe late first-round pick. Selecting him at 17 shocked many. At the time of the draft, media members like Scott Wheeler and Chris Peters complimented Reichel for his offensive skillset, but worried if his defensive game would develop enough to help him excel. Many considered him a safe middle-six forward prospect.

After spending his draft year in Germany, Reichel came overseas to start the 2021-2022 season with the Rockford IceHogs. He exploded in the AHL, putting up 57 points in 56 games. In 11 NHL games that season, he recorded one assist.

Reichel grabbed a lot of attention the following season. After the trade deadline that sent Blackhawks icon Patrick Kane away, many settled into a tank. During the tank, Reichel shined, scoring 15 points in 23 NHL games. This performance gave some fans belief that Reichel could develop beyond his draft expectations.

Unfortunately, Reichel never recaptured the magic. Since the 2022-23 season, Reichel has recorded 42 points in 140 NHL games.

Why did Reichel never repeat what was seen after the 2023 trade deadline? Some hypothesized that it was the coaching of Luke Richardson and Anders Sorensen. Where he played in the lineup, if he played at all and his linemates were consistent suspects in the case of Reichel.

However, the solution may be less exciting. Reichel shot at a 16.7% rate in 2022-23. Simply, he scored at an unsustainable rate. Reichel benefitted from the rest of the league still trying to figure him out. Once the league made adjustments, Reichel’s effectiveness dried up.

(Photo courtesy of Corey Sznajder/X)

Further proof of Reichel’s stagnation is in his analytical profile. Although the chart above is only from this season, the same trends can be seen in previous seasons’ charts. He showed great speed and an impressive ability to enter the offensive zone with possession. However, additional skillsets failed to emerge. Once it became apparent to the Blackhawks that further development may not happen, they found a trade partner.

Final thoughts

(Photo courtesy of @JFreshHockey/X)

Here’s the thing about potential. At some point, teams run out of time to see if players can reach it. The difficulty in assessing young players is when to decide if he has more to unlock, or if he is who he is.

With only one year left on his “prove it” contract, Chicago assessed that Reichel did not prove enough. When the summer of 2026 would come around, it would become harder for Chicago to justify keeping Reichel when other forward prospects make it to the NHL.

The trade does not come as a surprise to both player and team. As reported by Pierre LeBrun on X, Reichel had asked for a trade. Reichel’s agent came out saying things were not contentious, even complimenting Kyle Davidson’s professionalism during the process.

If Reichel unlocks a new gear and plays his way into another NHL contract, good for him. Unfortunately, his time in Chicago had run out. A popular teammate, and Blackhawks social media star, is now a Canuck.

The post ANALYSIS: Lukas Reichel traded to Vancouver appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews, Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley jump on to talk Blackhawks’ latest woes and Lukas Reichel:

Once again, Luke Richardson is not on the hot seat.

Does Lukas Reichel need more ice time?

Jimmy O brings the War Pigs report.

Frank Nazar

The never ending pathetic CHSN saga

Prospects

The ex-girlfriend report (ie. Dylan Strome and Brandon Hagel)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 8, Episode 7 – Richardson, Reichel and Another Lost Season appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles and latest news:

Blackhawks lose the first Bedard vs McDavid game

Connor Bedard is still killing it

Seth Jones not traveling with the team

Boris Katchouk waived and sent to Rockford

When will the Blackhawks finally make a move regarding Lukas Reichel?

The William Nylander talk again??

Looking towards the 2024 draft

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#Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 7, Episode 10 – Connor & Connor vs Connor & Connor https://t.co/Jxfzgy6ICT

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) December 14, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard and Brent Meske discuss the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles and latest news:

The Corey Perry saga

Blackhawks trade for Anthony Beauvillier

Patrick Kane finally signs…in Detroit

Kevin Korchinski struggles

The grind-line

Nick Foligno’s leadership

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#Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 7, Episode 9 – So Long Corey and Showtime in Motown https://t.co/gfSEjNOh6Z

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) November 30, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles and latest news:

Faceoff problems

Philipp Kurashev mania.

our, now, weekly look at Lukas Reichel analysis.

Is it too early to start talking about the 2024 Draft Lottery?

Blackhawks NCAA prospects.

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#Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 7, Episode 7 – Getting #Bedarded https://t.co/1KWNFRytwi

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) November 16, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Jeff Osborn, Andrew Bard, Eric Andrews and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles and latest news:

Connor Bedard is red hot!

Philipp Kurashev hitting his stride alongside Bedard.

Lukas Reichel struggle and analysis.

The Goalie situation (Petr Mrazek good, Arvid Soderblom bad)

Corey Crawford’s number to be retired in Rockford.

Possible OT rule change to limit extended possession times.

The Patrick Kane saga.

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#Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 7, Episode 7 – Getting #Bedarded https://t.co/1KWNFRytwi

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) November 16, 2023

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Few expected the start of the season to go this way for Reichel. Through 13 games, he has two assists to speak of, nothing more, and it is clear he is having trouble generating offensive opportunities. To say it has been disappointing is an understatement and, should this not change after 20 games and his production remain limited, you have to wonder if a ticket back to Rockford will be a conversation for head coach Luke Richardson and general manager Kyle Davidson. 

While there is hope that Reichel can turn it around in Chicago whether or not an IceHogs assignment is necessary, Hawks fans also need to consider the possibility that well…Reichel may not work out for them and ultimately not be a key or necessary ingredient for their rebuild. Yeah, I know, “Are you crazy? He’s young, he just needs time!” Valid, and I am not dismissing that, but I am also not dismissing the fact that 17th overall picks in the NHL draft are not necessarily home runs, and if former general manager Stan Bowman’s track record suggests, Reichel may end up being another Bowman draft pick who did not pan out. 

First-round picks by Bowman in the years leading up to the 2020 NHL Entry Draft when Reichel was picked include names like Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin, Henri Jokiharju, Nick Schmaltz and others. Now, by no means are the careers of Dach and Arizona Coyotes regular Schmaltz over and done with, and you cannot call them busts as you may with Boqvist, Beaudin and to a lesser extent Jokiharju, but they are definitely not wearing red and black any longer, and are far removed from “the plan.” In fact, Reichel and Nolan Allan, picked 32nd overall in the 2021 draft, are the only two first-round picks by Bowman still in the Hawks’ organization. 

Even if you want to separate Bowman’s dreaded prospect analysis away from Reichel in this conversation, which is fair, if you look back at the previous 10 drafts prior to 2020, only two high-end offensive players, Kyle Connor and Tomas Hertl, were picked at 17th overall. So sure, there is a chance for Reichel to have a successful NHL career, but to suggest he may ultimately be at the level of Connor or Hertl one day seems far-fetched. Hopefully he will not meet a similar fate in a few years of former 17th overall picks Nathan Beaulieu or Joey Hishon…right, who? That said, in the latter half of the first round of an NHL draft, rarely do teams cash out on skilled forwards in that position.

But wait, they got Oliver Moore at 19th overall, should we be worried? No, somehow a top-10 talent like Moore fell to the Hawks, and it was shocking that no other teams took him, but he may still end up as a bottom-six center long term. Hopefully not, and there are years before we will find out. And, when it came to Reichel in the 2020 draft, few, if anybody, had him being picked any higher than 20th, with many feeling he would be a late first-round pick or early second-round pick. For whatever reason, Bowman and then vice-president of amateur scouting Mark Kelley, who had pretty much stopped watching live hockey games of prospects at that point of his tenure, targeted Reichel, and here we are. 

It is getting way ahead to label Reichel a bust; that is not what is going on here. He has talent and skill and could have a nice NHL career. He is being auditioned at center, has moved to the wing, back to center and is certainly not on a roster overloaded with talent right now. Though this is not the best chapter for him right now, the full story has yet to be written. Perhaps a spin on a line with Bedard will happen in the near future if Richardson is looking for a spark in Reichel. 

With this in mind though, Reichel is still a prospect, the Hawks are full of them, some hit and some will miss. The possibility of Chicago ultimately finding Reichel to be an expendable asset is a real truth in this business.

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Jeff Osborn, Andrew Bard, Eric Andrews and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles and latest news:

Second lawsuit from the 2010 sexual assault case

The poor play of Connor Murphy

Connor Bedard, Lucas Reichel, Kevin Korchinski

The poor play of Connor Murphy

Look around the NHL: neck guards, the Oilers dumpster , and Patrick Kane’s next landing spot

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Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 7, Episode 6 – The Past Resurfacing as Poor Play Continues https://t.co/Gmit0NRzVq

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) November 9, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Andrew Bard, and Sean Fitzgerald discuss last week’s struggles for the Chicago Blackhawks, their absurd early strength of schedule, and that there still should be reason for optimism for the road ahead:

The facts and struggles of a true rebuild.

Players to watch in Rockford.

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Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 7, Episode 5 – The Reality of a Rebuild https://t.co/lSDSCpiYn1

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) October 27, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard, and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Blackhawks’ first four games of the season:

Blackhawks surprise players.

Blackhawks’ disappointments in the first four games.

Some Blackhawks predictions.

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Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 7, Episode 4 – Four Games In: The good the bad and the early season. https://t.co/Q0zvbqWGlu

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) October 19, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard, Sean Fitzgerald, and Brent Meske talk about the impending start to the Blackhawks regular season:

Who made the opening night roster?

The great Wyatt Kaiser hype train.

Kevin Korchinski makes the roster; for now.

Got any of those “Hot Takes”?

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Blackhawks Rinkcast: Season 7, Episode 3 – Chicago Blackhawks Opening Week! https://t.co/ntYYKVuMFv

— Hockey Rinkcast Channel (@TheRinkcast) October 10, 2023

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Andy Campbell, Eric Andrews, Andrew Bard, Sean Fitzgerald, and Jeff Osborn talk about the first week of Blackhawks rookie camp and the latest team news:

Connor Bedard and Lukas Reichel looking good in camp.

Kevin Korchinski and what might happen with him.

Pre-season lines and thoughts.

What happens to some of these depth players?

Jeff Greenberg leaves the Blackhawks organization.  

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At 2:39 of the first period, Lukas Reichel scored his first career goal to give the Hawks a 1–0 lead. Reichel skated into the slot and made a no-look pass to Seth Jones who shot the puck from the point and Reichel tapped in the rebound.

Elias Lindholm tied the game at 1–1 on the power play with his 13th of the season as he tapped in a rebound at the 8:49 mark.

The Hawks regained the lead when Colin Blackwell scored his first in a Blackhawks sweater to give the home team a 2–1 lead. Blackwell capitalized on a rebound off a Sam Lafferty shot from the right circle at 10:10 of the first.

Just 35 seconds into the second period, Philipp Kurashev one-timed a feed from Reichel past Jacob Markstrom for his fifth of the season to give the Hawks a 3–1 lead. For Markstrom, it was his third goal given up on 11 shots in the game which led to a goalie switch by Flames coach Darryl Sutter, who brought in backup Dan Vladar.

The goaltending switch gave Calgary some life as just 27 seconds later, Jonathan Huberdeau scored from the slot for his eighth of the season which cut the Hawks’ lead to 3–2.

At the 9:40 mark of the second, Calgary tied the game on a power play goal by Nazem Kadri for his 16th of the season off a rebound right in front of Hawks netminder Alex Stalock.

After a scoreless third, the Hawks won it in overtime when Max Domi made some excellent stick moves in the slot then fed Reichel who dished it back to Domi who deked Vladar for his 12th and second OT winner of the season. For the second straight game, the Blackhawks won 4–3 in overtime.

As for Reichel, he notched his first career three-point night although his special night might have been wasted if it weren’t for the stellar night by Stalock, whose 44 saves included 38 of 39 at even strength.

The Hawks get a few days off before returning to home ice on Thursday night against defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche. The puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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The Chicago Blackhawks needed to focus on prospects for the last several years, and it finally appears that may be the approach. In mid-January, the Blackhawks brought up forward prospect Lukas Reichel to give him a two-game NHL showcase before sending him back down to Rockford as part of his development plan. Interim Head Coach Derek King described the plan as “a two-game taste of the NHL, then let him continue his development playing 20-plus minutes every night in Rockford as a ‘chance to do it right by him.'”

In addition to the approach for Reichel, Scott Powers of The Athletic is reporting that the Blackhawks are going to take a more patient approach with prospects in their system, especially the defensive ones. This new approach by Interim General Manager Kyle Davidson is a stark contrast to his predecessor’s plans for developing prospects. With the Blackhawks’ future success now hinging on drafting and developing players, it is a good sign that Davidson is not following the lead of former General Manager Stan Bowman.

Under Bowman, the Blackhawks legitimately developed two NHL prospects into NHL players. Those players are none other than Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Hartman.

Teuvo Teravainen

When the Blackhawks drafted Teravainen with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he was viewed as a steal of the draft. Teravainen was not viewed as a “need” pick for the current team, but a pick of the future. With the Blackhawks set at the forward position, Teravainen was able to develop with Jokerit in Helsinki, Finland, for 49 in games in 2013–14. After those 49 games, the Blackhawks brought him over to Rockford for five games before giving a showcase with the Blackhawks for three games before being shut down for the year.

Bowman said at the time:

“Everyone’s a young player at some point, and they go through their growing pains,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s a progression. It takes time. We’re fortunate we don’t have to rush guys into spots where they may not be prepared. But every year, we’ve seen one or two young guys come in.”

Teravainen spent 39 games in Rockford the following season before playing 34 games with the Blackhawks during the regular season and all 18 playoff games. The next season, he appeared in 78 games with the Blackhawks before being sent off to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Bryan Bickell trade.

Since the Blackhawks sent Teravainen to the Hurricanes, the organization has not invested the minor-league time into prospects. Every top prospect since Teravainen has been hyped up way too much, not given time to develop in Rockford, rushed to the NHL and then given up on. Every other prospect has been jettisoned before they could develop into any type of regular NHL player.

The Bowman prospect formula

The Blackhawks’ prospect formula seemed to be the same after Teravainen. Ryan Hartman got 78 games in the AHL before being recalled to the Blackhawks. In his first full season in the NHL, Hartman scored 19 goals and 12 assists in 76 games. He appeared in all four playoff games. He regressed the following year, and instead of sending him back down to Rockford, they shipped him out of town. Hartman might have finally put it together at the age of 27 with Minnesota.

After Hartman the formula again changed, as then-top prospect Nick Schmaltz got 12 games in Rockford before being recalled. He broke out in 2017–18 with 21 goals and 31 assists. He was third on the team in points that season, tied with Jonathan Toews and Alex DeBrincat.

After that season, Bowman was quoted regarding the plan for the team’s better young players:

“I guess I want to make it clear our No. 1 priority as we move forward is to make sure we can keep these young players — DeBrincat and Schmaltz and (Vinnie) Hinostroza and some other young players that are going to maybe join our team over the next year or two,” 

Schmaltz then became mired in a season-long slump in 2018–19, and instead of sending him down to get his game right, the organization shipped Schmaltz to Arizona for Dylan Strome and Brandon Perlini. Despite thinking Schmaltz would be a very good player in the league, it was obvious that the Blackhawks had decided it was time to move on. Now, Schmaltz has not set the world on fire in Arizona, but nobody seems to succeed down in the desert.

The formula changes again

After Schmaltz, the Blackhawks decided they need to start hyping up their prospects because the NHL team looked to be trending downward, which brings us to Dylan Sikura. Sikura was a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Sikura went to college at Northeastern for four years, where his game improved substantially each year. Powers stated, “He has top-six upside and likely can step into an NHL lineup immediately.”

If Sikura had not signed with the Blackhawks, 30 teams would have been all over him, Powers went on to add. Bowman was quoted saying that Sikura would have been one of the Blackhawks’ main trade deadline acquisitions and would be able to help the Blackhawks into the playoffs and beyond. The internet went wild after reading this statement, predicting that Sikura would score 30 goals in the NHL in his first season. Sikura for his tenure appeared in 47 NHL games and was traded to Vegas for Brandon Pirri. Pirri is a career AHL goal scorer and is currently back with the Rockford IceHogs.

The Blackhawks were not deterred by the Sikura overhype debacle and the Hartman mistake. The Blackhawks got very lucky with DeBrincat, who has made himself a complete player while at the NHL level, having never played a single game in the AHL. After DeBrincat, the Blackhawks drafted and jettisoned off Henri Jokiharju to Buffalo. Jokiharju was playing NHL minutes with Duncan Keith before Jeremy Colliton took over behind the bench and banished him out of town.

Current prospect pool

After severely damaging their prospect pool in a last-gasp effort to save his job, Bowman shipped off Adam Boqvist, who appears to be developing quite nicely in Columbus. Before being traded, Boqvist was starting to improve in his own end.

Now, the Blackhawks need to figure out how to develop at the NHL level and Rockford because they need more than cup-of-coffee guys in the NHL. Below is some analysis of where notable players in the current prospect pool stand and how their development has been and should be handled.

Kirby Dach

While Dach is not necessarily a prospect anymore after playing 121 NHL games, he is still in the development stage of his career. In this stage, Dach has had a lot to overcome. He was not afforded very much time in the AHL due to the transfer agreement between the NHL and CHL. The agreement is as follows:

This rule is based on the NHL and CHL Agreement, which states a signed player aged 18 or 19 who was claimed from a CHL club and is not retained by the NHL club, must be assigned to the CHL junior club whom he last played for or owes a contractual obligation.

So, the Blackhawks decided to keep Dach with the NHL team instead of sending him back to the CHL’s Saskatoon Blades, where he very likely would have been dominating on a nightly basis. While it is tough to argue against the Hawks’ decision, it was a catch-22 situation for the team, as the “right” place for Dach to develop likely would have been the AHL. Dach had nothing left to prove in the CHL, but was not truly ready to play in the NHL, either. Continuing his development in the AHL and allowing him to get used to a faster and stronger game in the minors would have given him the proper opportunity to grow, rather than being forced to play above his head at the game’s highest level as an 18-year-old. In reality, very few players are truly ready to play in the NHL at 18, and the CHL-NHL transfer agreement adversely affects players like Dach in that middle ground by forcing them into a typically detrimental development path instead of allowing them to take the next step at the AHL level.

Unfortunately for Dach, he was injured in training camp and was to be sent down to the AHL on a conditioning assignment, the only way for him to play in the minors. Dach played three games in the AHL during the brief assignment before being recalled. During his rookie year, the Blackhawks qualified to compete in the postseason bubble after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in series to get in. Dach was dominant in the series against Edmonton and played well against Vegas.

After that season, the Blackhawks allowed him to play with Canada in the 2021 World Junior Championships, where he was named captain of the squad. In my opinion, it was to give Dach an opportunity to be a leader and to build confidence after a strong rookie season, however, the plan backfired when he broke his wrist during a preliminary game for the tournament.

The Blackhawks then rushed him back to the NHL to appear in 18 games in a lost season. While Colliton was hailed as being a great communicator, he really never developed anyone at the AHL or NHL level. Hopefully, the new voice of Derek King, who has been a career AHL coach, can help develop Dach more at the NHL level. King being named the interim head coach might have been for that very reason: A coach whose goal is to develop players and try to win at the same time. As The Rink’s Andy Campbell aptly pointed out, the Blackhawks did not have a plan for Dach and are now trying to develop him on the fly.

Lukas Reichel

Reichel is the gem of the Blackhawks’ current prospect pool. The 19-year-old has spent 26 games in Rockford this season, scoring 12 goals and racking up 14 assists. Now, the original plan was to give him a two-game showcase in the NHL before sending him back down, but now reports are surfacing that Reichel could be brought up again later in the season in order to burn the first year of his entry-level contract in order to make his second contract cheaper. However, one could argue that bringing Reichel up again this season would be a mistake from a development standpoint. Dobber Prospects wrote an article in 2018 stating that a first-line player averages a full AHL season and a second-line player averages close to a season and half in the AHL.

The assumption has to be that Reichel is going to be a top-six forward, and based on limited sample size, the data suggest that he should remain in the AHL for this entire season at the very least. Also, people should take note that the last five 17th overall picks have spent time in the AHL or CHL before becoming NHL players. Unlike Dach and other third overall picks, most of the time the 17th pick is either sent back to his CHL team or plays in the AHL. Reichel is also an exception to that rule because the 17th pick of late has usually been a North American player. Young European players tend to need adjustment to the North American style of play and the ice, which would lengthen their development timeline, if anything. The last high-profile player drafted from Germany, Tim Stutzle, jumped to the NHL because of the state of his team, the Ottawa Senators, and not necessarily because he was ready to play in the NHL.

Reichel will be a curious case to watch because he could outgrow the AHL very soon. But again, the question needs to be focused more on his long-term growth. Just because he CAN play in the NHL right now does not mean he NEEDS to.

Jakub Galvas

Jakub Galavs was the 150th pick of the fifth round in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. After playing in the Czech league with Olomouc, he joined Jukurit for two seasons in the SM-Liiga. This year, he was called up to the Blackhawks out of necessity and played well in his three-game call-up. King (and many of us here at The Rink) was very impressed by Galvas.

“I’ll be honest with you, I was very surprised how good he played,” interim head coach Derek King told reporters following the 4-2 win. “I knew he was pretty calm with the puck, he could skate and he can make plays and he’s a smart player, but he looked really good today. He stepped up. That’s not easy.”

After three games, he was sent down to Rockford to play 25 minutes per night and continue to develop. The Blackhawks currently have too many defensemen to have warranted keeping Galvas up in the NHL. Now, he could see more time in the NHL if the Blackhawks trade one of their defensemen at the deadline. Galvas has appeared in 25 games with Rockford this season.

Ian Mitchell

Mitchell was a victim of the Bowman formula: He was overhyped before making his NHL debut. Mitchell was a second-round pick in 2017 before joining the University of Denver.

“He dominated the games I saw at Denver this year. He’s such a good skater, very involved in the play. He [did] a little bit of everything for that team as their captain. I think it bodes well [for] how he’s going to transition to the NHL. I think his game lines up with exactly how we want to play. He’s a fun player to watch.” – Bowman on Jan. 7, 2020

When Mitchell made his NHL debut in 2020–21, playing 39 games with the Blackhawks before being sent down to Rockford for five games. Mitchell was outmatched and clearly out of place in the NHL last season. This season, he has only appeared in eight NHL games and has spent the majority of the season in Rockford.

Recent reports are saying the Blackhawks are taking a patient approach with blue line prospects such as Mitchell. Mitchell, being a second-round pick, should have started his pro career in the AHL. Second-round picks have a 25% chance of making the NHL after being drafted. Before Mitchell was drafted at the 57th pick, the last defenseman drafted at 57 was Jonas Siegenthaler. Siegenthaler spent 122 games in the AHL with 28 games in the Swiss-A league sprinkled in before making his NHL debut. Seigenthaler was drafted in 2015 and did not make his NHL debut until the 2018–19 season. Since Mitchell, two defensemen have been drafted at the 57, Axel Andersson, who is still in the AHL, and Samuel Bolduc, also still in the AHL. So, when the Blackhawks rushed Mitchell to the NHL with all the hype, they did not do him any favors. He needs to continue to play in the AHL and develop his game. Mitchell might not have the potential to be an NHL regular for a few more seasons.

Nicolas Beaudin

The Blackhawks also said they would be preaching patience with Beaudin. Beaudin was the 27th pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Beaudin has played in 30 AHL games this season and only two games with the Blackhawks. Beaudin, who was viewed by some as being an NHL-ready prospect entering this season, might have fallen behind the likes of Galvas in the pecking order. Beaudin needs to start improving his game at the AHL to have a shot at the NHL this season. In his last NHL game, he played just 1:11 of ice time before being sent back to Rockford.

With defensemen taking longer to develop, Beaudin still has a chance to play a regular role for the Blackhawks in the future, but the team needs to start seeing some tangible results. A positive sign for the organization is that they are not giving up on Beaudin and trading him away like past prospects.

Arvid Soderblom

The only goalie prospect with projectable NHL upside currently in the Blackhawks’ minor-league system is Soderblom. Soderblom is a 22-year-old goalie who signed as a European free agent with the Blackhawks last year. Undrafted, he spent his entire career in Sweden before coming over to North America for this season. Soderblom appeared in the offseason prospect tournament between the Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild and impressed the coaching staff during that tournament.

After the tournament, Soderblom began the season in Rockford before being recalled. Soderblom drew praise from King this past week.

“He’s getting NHL shots,” King said Wednesday. “He’s seeing how we operate here, the pace in practice…and just the everyday life of an NHLer. It’s great. Eventually, he’s going to be here (permanently). We just don’t know how long it’s going to take him.”

Now, the Blackhawks are starting to up his workload as he made back-to-back starts at Rockford after being sent down. This was the first time he has made back-to-back starts in Rockford. He was sensational against the Chicago Wolves last Saturday, making 36 saves in regulation and then stopping two shooters in the shootout to get the victory. The plan for Soderblom is to play at least one more game in NHL this season according to King. His plan might be altered if the anticipated trade of Marc-Andre Fleury does in fact happen. Soderblom could be recalled to split time with Kevin Lankinen or fill in from time to time.

People should remain cautious with Soderblom. For goalies, progress does not have to be linear. Corey Crawford came up several times to get starts for the Hawks before finally becoming the full-time starter in 2010–11 after being drafted in 2005.

Drew Commesso

While Soderblom is perhaps the lone goalie prospect with NHL upside in the current minor-league system, Drew Commesso has the most upside of any Blackhawks netminder prospect.

The second-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2020 has a record of 12–8–3 with a .915 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average with Boston University. In addition to putting up good numbers at Boston University, Commesso was named the starting goalie for Team USA in the World Junior Championship. Sadly, the tournament was ended due to the COVID-19 outbreaks among teams. Despite the tournament being cut short, fans might get to see Commesso on the biggest international stage, the Olympics. With the NHL not allowing its players to travel to the Olympics, Team USA went into the college ranks to add players to their roster, which now includes Commesso.

Regardless of whether Commesso plays in the Olympics or not, Blackhawks fans should not be expecting Commesso to be in the NHL anytime soon. The path to the NHL is still long for goalies after playing college hockey. An example of this would be Boston University alum Jake Oettinger. Oettinger was taken with 26th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. After finishing a three-year career at BU, he cameoed for the Texas Stars for six games in 2018–19. Oettinger then spent the entire 2019–20 season in the AHL, starting 38 games for the Texas Stars. In 2020, he got 29 games with the Dallas Stars. Despite 29 games in the NHL the year prior, Oettinger was reassigned to the AHL for 10 games this season. Oettinger finally may have found his footing in the NHL this season. He just shut out the Boston Bruins this week for his 11th win of the season.

If the Blackhawks want another example, look no further than the aforementioned Crawford. Crawford was a second-round pick, just like Commesso. After finishing up his time in the QMJHL, Crawford spent five full seasons in the AHL. He appeared in 255 AHL games before being offered the backup spot behind Marty Turco. It was not until he supplanted Turco in 2010–11 that he was locked into an NHL spot. The Blackhawks will need to be patient with the development of Commesso. It is going to take several years, and that is perfectly okay.

Bottom line

The bottom line is the Blackhawks have not been getting their prospects to develop within their organization. The Bowman-led front office did not have a development plan in place. With the new philosophy in place, that does not mean every prospect in the system will develop into NHL players; some guys might be career AHL, ECHL or European players. The fact that there are plans in place is a step in the right direction. Now, let’s be patient and wait on the results.

The post Prospect development is key to the Blackhawks’ future appeared first on The Rink.

It was a great night for hockey, as the Blackhawks honored Andrew Shaw with a legacy night, and Pat Foley and Eddie Olczyk were on the call for the broadcast for the first time in a while.

Andrew Shaw “Legacy Night.” #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/tGfHkggbBA

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 14, 2022

First period

The Blackhawks started off strong in this game, controlling the pace and not allowing many chances at all by their opponent. With just over 12 minutes to go in the period, Riley Stillman made a good defensive play, getting the puck to Jonathan Toews, who sprung Dominik Kubalik. Kubalik skated right through the Montreal defense and tucked the puck past Sam Montembeault, giving the Blackhawks the lead 1–0.

Toews got called for a hold against Cole Caufield, which gave the Canadiens their first power play of the evening. The Blackhawks were able to kill it with relatively few problems, and as the first period came to an end, the Blackhawks retained their 1–0 lead with a one-sided shot total.

Toews springs Kubalik to get the Hawks on the board
pic.twitter.com/hZg64FmIvH

— Four Feathers Podcast (@FourFeathersPod) January 14, 2022

Second period

The ending of the second period was a rough one, to say the least. The Blackhawks allowed a goal on a bounce off the boards on an Alexander Romanov shot that went right to Jeff Petry, allowing him to tie up the game at 1–1.

Then, a little later in the period, Romanov dished out a hard hit on Lafferty, which sparked Ryan Carpenter to take a run at Romanov, starting a fight with him and earning a 10-minute misconduct and an instigator call in addition to the five for fighting. On that power play, the Canadiens connected, with Mike Hoffman being in the right place in front to put the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury and give Montreal a 2–1 edge.

With 42 seconds left in the frame, Stillman took a delay of game penalty, giving the Canadiens yet another opportunity on the man advantage. The period ended without them scoring on that power play, but that would carry on into the third period. The Blackhawks would have their work cut out for them to begin the final frame after being outshot 17–6 in the second.

Third period

The Blackhawks came out of the gate looking like they had some fight left in them, getting the remainder of the penalty kill taken care of, and then drawing a penalty almost immediately after, with Brandon Hagel drawing a tripping call. Just a few seconds into the power play, Patrick Kane got the puck, faked out Montembeault and shot it past him to tie the game up 2–2.

The Blackhawks would get another power play opportunity with just under 13 minutes remaining in the frame when Caleb Jones took a stick up high. The Blackhawks were not able to convert on that opportunity, but Alex DeBrincat got a couple of good shots on goal, with one of them getting all of the post despite beating the goaltender. With just over four minutes remaining in the frame, both teams had opportunities to break the tie, but could not do so. Kane took a high stick with just over three minutes to go, putting the Blackhawks back on the power play once more. They could not do anything on that opportunity, sending the game to the overtime period.

Overtime

Both teams began to trade chances to start off the period, with both teams getting chances to end the game early on in the overtime. Philipp Kurashev got a break into the Montreal zone, getting taken down by Hoffman and drawing what would have been a penalty on his drive to the net. But, in a very strange twist of fate, the puck was determined to have legally crossed the line, and Kurashev was determined to have been onside by the slimmest of margins. Nevertheless, the Blackhawks kept the good times rolling and got the victory, winning this one by a score of 3–2.

What a weird win for the Blackhawks in OT. Should this have counted? pic.twitter.com/BKryCvvSH6

— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) January 14, 2022

The Blackhawks are back in action on Saturday night against the Anaheim Ducks at the United Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CST on NBC Sports Chicago.

The post Blackhawks keep rolling, slide past Canadiens 3–2 appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks have recalled forward Lukas Reichel from the @goicehogs and assigned him to the taxi squad pic.twitter.com/woN7tyD8r5

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 12, 2022

The Blackhawks selected Reichel 17th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Reichel spent the 2020–21 season in his native Germany playing for Eisbären Berlin of the DEL, posting 10 goals and 17 assists in 38 games. The nephew of long-time NHLer Robert Reichel, Lukas crossed the pond to play in North America this season, registering 11 goals and nine assists in 20 contests with the IceHogs before Wednesday’s recall, the first of his career.

Reichel’s recall has been hotly debated among the Blackhawks’ fanbase, as many have hoped to see him inserted into the NHL lineup, while others have expressed taking the slower route to fully develop him would be the wiser long-term route. The Blackhawks’ recent trend of “rushing” top prospects to the NHL would seemingly indicate the former, though it is possible Reichel just gets a quick cup of coffee with the Hawks before being returned to Rockford to continue his development. Time will tell, though ultimately, Reichel’s long-term future ought to be prioritized.

The Blackhawks return to action on Thursday, hosting the struggling Montreal Canadiens for a 7:30 p.m. CST puck drop at the United Center.

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks assign top prospect Lukas Reichel to taxi squad appeared first on The Rink.

With that being said, here is a quick look at how the top prospects are performing in their respective leagues.

Lukas Reichel

The Rockford IceHog netted a hat trick on Nov. 7 against the Manitoba Moose and continues to impress in the early season in the AHL. The German-born forward has produced six goals and nine points in 10 games. As a 19-year-old learning the professional game on this side of the pond, there should be no rush in his development. With Stan Bowman gone, he will likely play big minutes against men in the AHL and see a “cup of coffee” toward the end of the Blackhawks’ season.

Evan Barratt

The 22-year-old center has found his way into seven games for the IceHogs this season, netting one goal and two assists. The Bristol, Pennsylvania, native brings an energy to his game that a bottom line in the NHL would like to see. Barratt’s overall skills will not “wow” anyone, but he could be a call-up over Reese Johnson moving forward this season for the Blackhawks.

Colton Dach

The 18-year-old brother of Blackhawks’ forward Kirby Dach has produced since being moved to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. Dach is pacing the Rockets at a point per game and has six goals in 11 games. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he should be able to find some space for himself and continue to use his shooting skills to impress in the WHL.

Josiah Slavin

Slavin continues to impress in Rockford this season and has been a wild-card favorite of this author since watching him skate in the USHL for the Chicago Steel. The Erie, Colorado, native and younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes standout blue liner Jaccob Slavin has three goals and four assists for the IceHogs and continues to show he can use his 6-foot-3 frame to his advantage all over the ice. Slavin should be a call-up this season or next if the 22-year-old continues to show he can be effective in all areas of the ice.

Nolan Allan

With no first-round pick last season because of the Seth Jones trade, Bowman reached for the 18-year-old stay-at-home defenseman has been a steady rock this season for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. Allan is not expected to find himself on the scoresheet much, but needs to continue to hone is skills in the defensive end as a suffocating defenseman that is difficult to play against.

Nicolas Beaudin

The shine is starting to wear off on the defenseman, as Beaudin has struggled in six games in Rockford this season and looked over-matched in his time playing against NHL-caliber players. The former first-round pick in 2018 needs to show he can play defense against the best in the world and not just rely on his offensive talents he showed at a young age. Fans should not be surprised if he gets passed up on the next call-up to the NHL.

Ian Mitchell

Much like Beaudin, Mitchell needs to continue to show he can play against the top players in the world. In eight games in Rockford, Mitchell is a -5 and continues to look indecisive on his reads and plays defensively. In the NHL for 42 games already, one would hope that former bench boss Jeremy Colliton was not developing the the 174-pound defenseman, but the shine is wearing off on Mitchell, too.

Drew Commesso

The Norwell, Massachusetts, native is off to a 4–5–1 start for the Terriers of Boston University. The 6-foot-2 goaltender has taken the brunt off the struggles of the team early on with his 3.17 goals against average and .891 save percentage. The 19-year-old has time to turn the early season struggles around and help his team make a push in the Hockey East.

The post Chicago Blackhawks November prospect report appeared first on The Rink.

During the five-day event, the Blackhawks’ prospects were able to scrimmage the Wild prospects  twice and practiced three times.

Among the notable Blackhawks prospects participating were Nolan Allan, Evan Barratt, Colton Dach, Mike Hardman, Alec Regula and Lukas Reichel.

On Friday night, the Blackhawks fell to the Wild 3–2 in regulation. In game two on Sunday, the Blackhawks also fell to the Wild, losing 4–3 in a shootout. On Sunday, the Blackhawks got goals from Andrei Altybarmakyan, Barratt and Michel Teply. The Teply goal was assisted by Reichel.

Lukas Reichel sets up Michal Teplý for a goal to put the Blackhawks ahead 3-2. pic.twitter.com/1NAj52n5Fn

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 19, 2021

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Winners of the showcase

Lukas Reichel

Despite not winning either of the two games, it appears Reichel was the overall winner. Despite being drafted as winger, Reichel looked comfortable at the center position having played there in Germany. His skill and playmaking stood out among the prospects featured in the scrimmages. Despite being a relative long shot to make the NHL club—though he could at least earn a brief look—Reichel has entered the conversation of a possible NHL debut this season.

Rockford IceHogs coach Derek King on Lukas Reichel: “He’s a player. It was fun to watch him. … This kid, just his skill level is just that much higher than a lot of our draft picks or a lot of free agents or a lot of kids I’ve seen around the organization.”

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 20, 2021

Alec Regula

Regula, a defenseman, acquired in the Brendan Perlini trade with Detroit, spent the majority of last season in Rockford. After a short three-game stint with the Blackhawks, it appears Regula worked hard in the offseason to smooth out some of his rough edges. Current IceHogs head coach Derek King had glowing remarks for how Regula played over the weekend.

King on Alec Regula: “Probably one of the best players on the ice every game, the two games he played. He controlled the play. His skating has improved. His thought process is a lot quicker. His shot has improved. He just looked really good.”

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 20, 2021

Regula figures to be in the mix for a bottom-pairing defensive spot when the NHL season opens.

Other notables

Barratt had a solid two-game showing with his physical play and some scoring touch. It will be interesting to see if his game continues to develop this season, very likely in Rockford.

Arvid Soderblom was the goalie in net on Friday. He appears to be a development prospect after signing a two-year contract with the Blackhawks following a productive career in Sweden. The 6-foot-3 goalie figures to be in mix between Rockford and the Indy Fuel for ice time.

With training camp starting on Thursday, stay tuned to The Rink for all your Blackhawks news.

The post Blackhawks’ prospects square off against Minnesota in Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase appeared first on The Rink.

Reichel is a 6 feet and 172 pounds and plays with Eisbären Berlin of the German DEL last season, scoring 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 42 games. If the name sounds familiar, that is because his uncle is former Calgary Flames, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs center Robert Reichel. His father is former DEL star center Martin Reichel.

These are a few scouting reports on the young Blackhawks first rounder:

“Reichel is a pro-ready player and the maturity in his game shows. A very good skater, he is a treat to watch gliding all over the ice with a fast top speed as well as very solid mobility. Smooth overall skater who relies on his solid skating techniques with very fluid strides. Possesses silk-smooth hands and can handle the puck very nicely, constantly putting the effort in to get to the tough parts of the ice and battle for puck possession. He displays great hockey sense and he always seems to be in the right place, getting to where he needs to be just slightly ahead of the play. He is strong along the boards, often coming out with the puck because of his excellent puck skills and tenacity. Didn’t find himself overwhelmed in this regard when faced with older, stronger, competition. He can use his quickness in small spaces to evade opposing players and find open space for himself. He has a good shot, and it is more effective because of the shot locations that he finds. If he isn’t getting himself to the front of the net, he is camping out on the backside of the play, waiting for a pass to one-time into the back of the net. In the defensive zone, he plays a solid positional game and clogs passing lanes, not afraid to get in front of a shot. His excellent board play aids him in puck battles but he needs to try to stay on the inside of the puck in defensive zone so he doesn’t get turned around as frequently. Overall, a smart playmaker with high compete level.”

— FC Hockey

Reichel also excels down low and when working the half wall as his agility is excellent, which makes him tough to pin. His board work has been outstanding, and he shows no worries in using his body to protect the puck, holding his own against extreme physical pressure from men despite his relatively light weight. The question is, does Reichel possess the upside to be more than a complementary middle six forward? His skill level is good but not elite. The same could be said for his speed and functional success in transition. It is for this reason that we have Reichel ranked below Stűtzle and Peterka because their respective upsides are higher.”

— Brock Otten (McKeens)

The Blackhawks will have six more picks tomorrow, with rounds two through seven beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT (NHLN, SN).

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