With Lukas Reichel, Arvid Soderblom and Alex Vlasic ready to make the push for a full-time roster spot in Chicago, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson feels confident that the three can find their way onto the team after their development stint in Rockford.
Instead of rushing these three into the league, Davidson and the Blackhawks hockey operations staff knew that Rockford could provide better lessons in their game. There, the IceHogs coaching staff can create a structure and fill in some gaps that can help their skills grow.
“That’s the job of the coaching staff is to instruct and teach,” Davidson said on Sept. 19. “We’re not a big believer in the NHL being a development league, but some of the players that are up for jobs are not fresh out of amateur hockey either. They’ve played some good time in pro. There shouldn’t be huge gaps to fill in their game.”
For Reichel, who spent time between the Blackhawks and IceHogs, he felt that he gained more confidence through the situations he played through. Whether he worked on his defensive zone skills or how to play in high-pressure situations, he knew it prepared him for the NHL.
Last season down in Rockford, Reichel tested his skills with a slight position change from the wing to center to add more depth for the Blackhawks. With a few practices on the faceoff, he noted it can complement his speed and bring new challenges to his game.
“I love playing center,” Reichel said. “I think I can use my skating and I can use my speed a lot and that's my main focus. I love that challenge.”