Lukas Reichel makes his season debut for the Blackhawks in win over Sharks

AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — Lukas Reichel made his season debut for the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night after he was a healthy scratch for the team’s opening four-game trip.

Reichel skated for 8 1/2 minutes during Chicago’s 4-2 victory over San Jose in its home opener. He centered the team’s fourth line in his 100th career game, playing alongside veteran forwards Pat Maroon and Craig Smith.

Coach Luke Richardson said he thought Reichel made some good plays.

“I thought he was, you know, hard in the face-off circle,” Richardson said. “He blocked a shot in the third period, and he was really showing initiative to take hard strides out there, whether it was tracking back, which helps our (defense), or on the offense and on the forecheck. So it was a good start for him.”

Chicago also placed Alec Martinez on injured reserve before its victory over the Sharks. Fellow defenseman Isaak Phillips was recalled from Rockford of the AHL.

The 37-year-old Martinez, who skated in each of the team’s first four games, has a right groin injury. He agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with the Blackhawks in free agency.

“I think a groin strain is what they listed it as,” Richardson said. “It’s been kind of nagging for a while, and then last game, just kind of reaggravated it a bit. So we have to just give him time.”

Richardson had no update on goaltender Laurent Brossoit and defenseman Artyom Levshunov. Brossoit had meniscus surgery on his right knee on Aug. 27. Levshunov, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, is coming back from a right foot injury.

“Both of them are just not ready to join the team in practice yet, but have been on the ice,” Richardson said, “and will be back on the ice after a day or two off. I think they’ve been going pretty hard, and that’s all I know there.”

The 22-year-old Reichel was a first-round pick in the 2020 entry draft, but he has struggled with inconsistency since his NHL debut almost three years ago. He re-signed with the Blackhawks in May, finalizing a two-year contract.

If Reichel’s lackluster production continues this season and Chicago decides it wants to send him back to the minors, it would have to expose him to waivers.

It looked as if Reichel had turned a corner when he had four goals and four assists in his last eight games with Chicago during the 2022-23 season. He appeared in a career-high 65 games last year, but he only managed five goals and 11 assists.

Reichel said it was tough sitting out at the beginning of this season.

“You know you want to play every game, but what I learned from last year, you got to stay positive,” he said after the team’s morning skate. “Everyone knows that I want to go out there and compete and play with the boys, but all you can do in that moment, you just got to focus (on) what you can control.”

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