When the Blackhawks hit the ice for the first time this season Tuesday night, all eyes were on Chicago’s new-look roster and how it would fare against the NHL’s newest franchise. But one player was missing from the lineup – 22-year-old forward Lukas Reichel. If GM Kyle Davidson’s comments Tuesday are any indication, Reichel hasn’t spent his last game away from the ice.
“He’s got to work and get to the point where, if an opportunity opens up, he’s going to jump in and take advantage of it.”
– Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson
“If” an opportunity opens up? Yikes.
There’s a chance that opportunity doesn’t come for quite some time. First of all, Reichel would have to perform better than he has in practice. He’s in a make-or-break year as it is, and has played noticeably poorly throughout the Blackhawks’ preseason. He’ll have to take a huge step to get to the point where he even gets another shot.
Additionally, there’s no guarantee that an opportunity does open up for Reichel. If he was to take someone’s job, the first ones on the chopping block, in theory, would be on the bottom line. But Reichel’s admittedly “dainty” game isn’t exactly suited for a bottom-six role. Also, the current bottom-liners, Pat Maroon, Ryan Donato and Craig Smith, have been more than holding their own. Donato and Smith enjoyed an excellent preseason and a good opener, and Maroon needs to be in the lineup because of his unique skill set.
Further up the lineup, the apparent weak link would be Joey Anderson, the late addition to the third line. However, Anderson was impressive Tuesday night as well, and certainly didn’t do anything to lose his job. Reichel may have to wait a while for that opportunity to open up, after all. In the meantime, Davidson hasn’t hid his frustration with his young skater.
“He’s got to show and play a certain way. He needs to have the habit that, if it’s in practice, he shows he deserves to be in the lineup, and if he’s in the lineup, he plays a certain way that we expect [so] that he’ll hold a spot. It’s in his hands.”
– Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson
Not exactly a glowing review. Davidson, like many fans, has grown annoyed with Reichel’s surprising lack of development. At times last year, Reichel was far too passive on the ice and didn’t take advantage of many opportunities. From what Davidson said, that trend has clearly continued. Reichel’s time in Chicago isn’t over, but he certainly has a long way to go to make it back into the lineup.
