The Blackhawks sent top prospect Lukas Reichel back to the AHL on Friday, reassigning him to Rockford in advance of Patrick Kane’s expected return from injury Saturday against the Kraken.
Reichel’s three-game NHL stint in Kane’s absence was — by far — his best yet. He played very well against the Coyotes, erupted for three points against the Flames in one of the Hawks’ best individual performances by any player this season and held his own — albeit in quieter fashion with less ice time — against the Avalanche. The Hawks won all three games.
Analyzing the move is complicated, because it contrasts with a notable quote from coach Luke Richardson after the Flames game Sunday but aligns with the Hawks’ established ultra-patient development plan for Reichel and other prospects.
Richardson said Sunday that Reichel would likely stick around even once Kane returned, stating that the “the idea of bringing him up now is probably [because] he earned a spot” and that he would be given “extended time to see if he can sustain what he’s doing right now.” Richardson did add that he and general manager Kyle Davidson hadn’t “really talked about it” at the time.
On the other hand, Reichel going back down once Kane returned did seem most likely before Sunday.
Other than a slightly longer run in April of last season to get Reichel over the 10-game threshold, thus burning the first year of his contract and getting him to restricted free agency sooner (and ideally with a lower price tag), the Hawks have consistently given Reichel only brief NHL stints over the past two seasons.
A team source said Friday that was the plan all along for this call-up, as well.
The plentiful ice time Reichel receives in Rockford and the winning culture there — the IceHogs are 19-11-4 — are theoretically better for his short-term development. And not having Reichel in the NHL is objectively better for the Hawks’ designs on finishing in last place and receiving a guaranteed top-three draft pick.
Regardless of the strange optics Friday, Reichel’s enormous success this month erased any concerns about his previous difficulties translating AHL production into the NHL. He looked every bit the part of a top-six NHL winger already — at age 20 — and has firmly established himself as the Hawks’ best forward prospect.
