Another Blackhawks prospect has agreed to a contract extension.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Blackhawks announced the re-signing of 2020 first-round Lukas Reichel to a two-year contract worth $1.2 million annually. Reichel was set to be a restricted free agent this summer following the expiration of his entry-level contract.
It was a difficult first full season in the NHL for the 21-year-old Reichel — who’ll turn 22 next Friday — as the No. 17 overall pick from 2020 tallied just 16 points (5 G, 11 A) in 65 games. Reichel also appeared in 10 regular-season games with the Rockford IceHogs, notching 8 points (1 G, 7 A) there and added two goals and two assists in four postseason games with Rockford.
This appears to be a bridge deal for both sides of the negotiation: Reichel is given two more seasons to live up to the top-six billing that’s been his potential since he was drafted, and the team has two more seasons to determine if Reichel is part of the long-term future in Chicago. While the 2023-24 season did not offer much in the way of hope, it’s also worth pointing out that prospect development is rarely linear and one subpar season is by no means indicative of the absence of a long-term spot within this roster for Reichel.
It’d certainly behoove Reichel to find that form in the short-term, though, as he’ll be a restricted free agent again in 2025 with the chance to cash in majorly should his play merit a raise.