During the Chicago Blackhawks’ opening night loss of 5-2 to the Utah Hockey Club, it was evident that head coach Luke Richardson was still experimenting with his line combinations.
Star center Connor Bedard played with various teammates, including Teuvo Teravainen and Ilya Mikheyev, and later with Teravainen and Nick Foligno, as well as Pat Maroon. The Blackhawks are currently focused on trying to establish a winning strategy during their four-game road trip leading up to their first home game.
The absence of Lukas Reichel is a setback for the Blackhawks. Watching the team struggle against Utah, Reichel came to mind—not only because he hasn’t yet hit his stride this preseason, but also due to the gaps in the lineup that he could help fill.
As Richardson searches for the right chemistry for Bedard, Reichel appears to be a sensible choice to play alongside him. However, his preseason performance and lack of scoring opportunities kept him out of the lineup. Reichel has the potential to become a top-six forward, but it’s crucial for him to demonstrate that ability now. The Blackhawks are largely relying on Reichel’s return to make a significant impact this season.
Reichel’s absence is felt because the Blackhawks expected him to assume a significant role. The team’s forward lines seemed incomplete without him. While having Frank Nazar as a potential second-line center would be ideal, Reichel stepping into a top-six position would be even more beneficial.
If Reichel were to play on the second line alongside Kurashev and Bertuzzi, it would enable Hall to join the top line with Bedard and Teravainen, opening up a role for Mikheyev on the third line with Foligno and Dickinson.
Reichel’s future is in his hands. His poor preseason performance led to his being scratched, but now it will be interesting to see how he responds. Can he come back and prove to the Blackhawks that he deserves to remain a fixture in the lineup? Will he step up as the impactful top-six forward the team needs? Only time will tell.
