Chicago Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel is set to make his season debut during the home opener Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks.
Reichel made some major changes to his offseason training and off-ice habits, but he remained inconsistent during camp — just as he had his ups and downs last season. He was a healthy scratch for the first four games as the Hawks opened the season on the road.
“I’m happy that I’m in the lineup now and can’t wait to get started,” Reichel said after the morning skate at the United Center.
Coach Luke Richardson said going against the Sharks, a hard-skating team, appears to be a matchup in Reichel’s favor.
“That’s going to benefit him because he’s a skater and we need to see lots of bursts tonight, confidence with the puck,” Richardson said. “When he gets it, it can’t just be one and done. He’s got to make a play or put it in an area where his teammate or himself can make a play off of that.”
Confidence has become a recurring theme for the 2020 first-round draft pick. Reichel had five goals and 11 assists in 65 games with the Hawks last season, but he was a healthy scratch for several games and was sent down to Rockford for a nine-game stint in late February and early March.
Reichel said he learned to stay positive.
“Of course you’re pissed and you’re upset because you can’t play,” he said of not playing in the first four games. “I love the game, and if someone takes it from you, you want to go out there and play.
“But I couldn’t control it and now I get my chance and I’m going to take it.”
“Of course, you’re pissed and you’re upset, because you can’t play. … But I couldn't control it and now I get my chance, and I’m going to take it.”
—Luke Reichel on drawing into the Blackhawks lineup for the first time this season pic.twitter.com/Swf2JjCcW6
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) October 17, 2024
Richardson said he and his coaching staff worked on Reichel’s confidence in camp and tried to get him more puck touches.
However, at “the start of the season, the lineup was dictated by who was playing better in training camp,” Richardson said. “So he’s been working hard in practice, (and) we told him what we need from him in practice to get ready for the game. Now it’s his turn to show it in the game.”
From a position standpoint, Reichel has been in a bit of a no man’s land.
He’s not strong defensively, and his offense has deserted him at times. He profiles as a top-six winger, yet the Hawks will deploy him as a center on the fourth line, an odd fit.
“I know Craig Smith can really shoot a puck,” Richardson said of his reasoning, “and Patty Maroon has good hands and makes good plays in the offensive zone and getting out of the defensive zone. So he’s got experienced players to play with tonight.
“It’s not a young, inexperienced (line), just hard-crashing and bangers. This is an opportunity to make the most of it.”
Reichel said coaches have advised him to “compete out there, winning battles and skate, shoot (and) be more selfish. Luke always tells me, ‘You’ve got to shoot the puck.’”
That’s a drum the Hawks have been beating with Reichel for years. Last season he took 1.37 shots per game — fewer than former Hawks fourth-liner Boris Katchouk (1.44).
“Sometimes players don’t feel like they’re playing well and get rid of the puck too quick,” Richardson said. “Sometimes they get rid of it before a player even gets to them. They look early, someone looks like they’re coming and they peel off, and it looks kind of odd that the player chips the puck or moves it too quick.
“So that’s just a confidence level for a young player.”
As patient as the Hawks and Reichel have been with his setbacks, he’s resisting the urge to put all the pressure on one game.
“It’s easy to say, but just focus on my game and skate and compete out there, winning battles and playing more simple hockey,” he said. “And then the other things will come.”