Blackhawks Show Faith in Lukas Reichel With Contract Extension

So much for waiting longer on the news of what the Blackhawks would offer Lukas Reichel. Reichel and the Blackhawks agreed to a two-year deal worth a $1.2M cap hit. It’s a slight raise, but more importantly, it should be a raise in confidence for a player who seemed to struggle with it at times this season.

Reichel returned to Rockford after playing 50 games at the NHL level–but arrived back in Chicago with the swagger and drive that earned him a spot on the opening night roster.

Now he has the chance to carry that momentum into next season.

Blackhawks, Lukas Reichel Both Win With New Deal

With a two-year deal, the Hawks make a modest financial investment while providing some confidence with a multi-year extension. For Reichel, he can exhale a bit knowing the future is set while also spending the offseason as a time to rcharge for what should be a better season in 2o24-25.

With the Blackhawks ready to boost the talent level on the roster,  Reichel is one of the players who should significantly benefit from this move. With what will likely be a fuller top nine in terms of talent, Reichel can contribute where need be but also benefit by what the coaches want him to do more of–shooting the puck.

The 21-year-old winger potted just five goals this season in 65 games, but showed his shot off in the AHL playoffs, bagging a pair of goals in Rockford’s series ending loss to Grand Rapids. That was enough to cinch the extension in terms of timing, but it should also cinch Reichel’s drive to find the net more.

In the latter stages of his final 15 games, Reichel was more tenacious in driving the net and the underlying numbers supported the efforts. For a kid who seemed to struggle with confidence, that along with the playoff performance, albeit in a small sample, should provide some momentum into next season.

Today’s extension is another win for the Blackhawks and Lukas Reichel. Now, will they feel the same way next year at this time?

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