The Blackhawks have signed forward Lukas Reichel to a two-year, $2.4MM contract extension, per a team announcement Tuesday. The deal carries an average annual value and cap hit of $1.2MM.
Reichel, 21, was slated for restricted free agency this summer after completing his entry-level contract. He was Chicago’s first-round pick in the 2020 draft, selected 17th overall after their most recent playoff appearance, a first-round elimination at the hands of the Golden Knights.
The German forward is yet to cross the 100-game plateau but will do so next season. Since making his NHL debut in the 2021-22 campaign, he’s tallied 12 goals, 20 assists, 32 points and a -45 rating in 99 contests.
After lighting up the AHL for nearly a point per game with Rockford last season, as well as 15 points in 23 games across multiple stints on the Blackhawks’ roster, most expected Reichel to challenge for a consistent top-six role in 2023-24. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to hold down the second-line role at center he was given behind Connor Bedard to begin the year, eventually demoted to a third-line role on the wing. He ended the season with just five goals and 16 points in 65 games, having the most disappointing season of a promising group of Blackhawks youngsters in Bedard and defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic.
Thus, it’s not particularly surprising to see Reichel ink an extension not terribly far above the maximum buriable threshold if he’s assigned back to Rockford at any point over the next two years. If he’s able to get his development back on track by the summer of 2026, he’ll be a restricted free agent again in line for a more significant commitment, both in yearly salary and term, at age 23.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson still has a few weeks to work on extensions for the rest of his pending RFAs before qualifying offers are due on June 30. Among players who ended the season on the NHL roster, four other forwards – Joey Anderson, Mackenzie Entwistle, Reese Johnson and Taylor Raddysh – are headed for restricted free agency. Unlike Reichel, that group is eligible for salary arbitration.
Chicago also has six pending RFAs at the minor-league level, four of whom logged NHL time this season – center Cole Guttman and defensemen Louis Crevier, Isaak Phillips and Filip Roos. Among them, only Guttman and Roos are eligible for arbitration.
Reichel was solid in limited playoff action with Rockford last week, scoring twice and adding two assists as the IceHogs were bounced in four games by Grand Rapids in the Central Division Semifinals. He’s now likely off to Czechia to play with Germany at the 2024 World Championship, although he hasn’t officially been added to their roster yet.
The Blackhawks still have $33.84MM in projected cap space for next season, per CapFriendly. They still need to add around $15MM in combined cap hits for 2024-25 to meet next year’s lower limit.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Could be a massive breakout candidate next season. Bedard will not hurt his chances…
Not expensive but think he could definitely use a change of scenery. He just doesn’t fit well here it seems like.
A bit of a head scratch-er. I guess that The Hawks FO maybe views this year as a throw away for Reichel (unless they hope to get enough good press on him to move him for a draft pick at some point?)
Most of that salary can be buried in Rockford if he can’t step up.