Yahoo Sports Blackhawks' Foligno Providing Great Leadership to Reichel
Lukas Reichel has been playing better and is now getting his opportunity off of the fourth line to play on the top line with Connor Bedard and Nick Foligno.
The lines of the Chicago Blackhawks have changed a lot this season while the team tries to get on a roll and find something that sticks. While Nick Foligno's leadership shows in all aspects, playing on a line with a young and improving forward like Reichel has given the veteran a chance to help him out even further.
Foligno spoke about what he saw in Reichel's game while he was on the fourth line with Pat Maroon and Craig Smith. Reichel was able to play a straight line game, cycle, and hold onto pucks more because he was the most skilled on that line.
The captain told Reichel, "don't defer from that (his game) because you have a different player on your line. You have the ability to make plays and do things with the puck that not a lot of players can do. So trust yourself."
Reichel is playing with more confidence and the Blackhawks need a young talent like his to break out and take the next step. This is definitely the start and there were some high expectations as he was once the top prospect of the Blackhawks.
I don't expect Reichel to stay on the top line or play with either Bedard or Foligno for the entire season unless something really impactful happens with that line immediately, but it is great for a young player to get first-hand experience playing with a leader and experienced veteran like Foligno who is able to watch and understand his game and provide advice and knowledge.
Related: Connor Bedard Says He's "Not Really Making a Difference" Lately
Foligno spoke about how he's seeing Reichel get better, but he also explains how the next step is growing his game with layers on top of it. That is how a player like Reichel is able to take his game to the next level and really take the next step. I think he has proven that he is a full-time NHL talent, but his ceiling can be higher if he continues to improve in all aspects of the game.
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