Luke Richardson confirmed that Connor Bedard's recovery from his Jan. 3 injury will take at least six more weeks due to bone-settling. Bedard is devastated to miss playing in his hometown. Lukas Reichel has been scratched from the game to improve his offensive performance and confidence. The Blackhawks are struggling to motivate Reichel, whose season has been disappointing. Various discussions and podcasts have focused on finding ways to rebuild Reichel's confidence and spark his performance.
Lukas Reichel’s skill is undeniable. His skating is elite, his creativity off the charts. But hockey hasn't come so easily to him this year, writes @MarkLazerus. And the Blackhawks are running out of ways to find a spark. https://t.co/d5TD2uVJUu https://t.co/Re9wcDsZjh
🚨 New #Blackhawks Talk Podcast 🚨 • What to do with Lukas Reichel? • Alex Vlasic’s growth and what his next contract could look like • No change in timeline for Connor Bedard • Chicago won’t have 2024 NHL All-Star replacement 🎧: https://t.co/q2BQJaJInY https://t.co/AbthzKDP5W
[LISTEN] How can the Blackhawks rebuild Lukas Reichel's confidence? Is an AHL stint out of the question? @BoyleNBCS and @CRoumeliotis discuss on the latest #Blackhawks Talk Podcast, which is out NOW! https://t.co/d1nSPxQt1l https://t.co/dIDL9G8rwG
Lukas Reichel's disappointing season has reached another low point. "He knows what makes him great, and he [needs] to believe in that again." Story: https://t.co/zKYURqIiHc
How can the #Blackhawks help Lukas Reichel find his confidence again? https://t.co/WJ5siIiKWP
"You put pressure on yourself. You want to be successful, you want to be the guy they can count on, and it starts to wear on you a little bit." How can the #Blackhawks help Lukas Reichel find his confidence again? https://t.co/eyJ246IKDY
The Blackhawks are still trying to figure out ways to get Lukas Reichel going. @MarkLazerus’ column from Vancouver: https://t.co/a4F86WCvDi
Lukas Reichel's daring and confidence has been taken over by passiveness and timidity. And Luke Richardson and the Blackhawks are running out of ways to light a fire under him. Column: https://t.co/CelquNmL6I
The Blackhawks are running out of ways to light a fire under Lukas Reichel. My column from Vancouver: https://t.co/J4ChRj2fVA
It’s safe to say the extra opportunity created by Connor Bedard’s injury has not turned around Lukas Reichel’s season. New story on where things stand now and moving forward with Reichel scratched again tonight: https://t.co/zKYURqIiHc
Luke Richardson did not say Connor Bedard will be out six more weeks. He said he's still on the "at least six weeks" timetable from the injury. Stand down, aggregators! https://t.co/9yWDnZ5OhD
Richardson on scratching Reichel tonight: "It's not like he's playing terrible defensively, but we need him to spark a little bit more offense and get that confidence going offensively."
Luke Richardson reiterated that Connor Bedard's timetable is still "at least six weeks" from the Jan. 3 injury. "Bone-settling," he called it, which, yeesh. Said Bedard is "devastated" not to be able to play in his hometown tonight.