We didn’t know it at the time but shortly after we chatted with Kristian Reichel as part of the end of Moose season media availability he’d be the first player to sign a new contract overseas. The Czech product signed a three-year deal with Adler Mannheim of the German DEL.
While Reichel was not drafted by the Jets he may as well have been as he has been in Winnipeg for six years now which began when he was as an invitee playing junior hockey in Red Deer. He signed a one-year AHL deal with the Moose that summer which he would follow-up with another AHL deal before earning back-to-back two year NHL deals in 2020 and 2022 with the Jets.
The 2023-24 season began slowly for Reichel but he got hot and set career highs in goals, assists, and games played finishing the season with 23 goals, 19 assists for 42 points in 70 games. A big part of his success was the chemistry he formed as part of the Identity Line alongside Jeffrey Viel and Parker Ford.
In total he played 15 games in the NHL with the Jets scoring his first goal in his second ever game as well as picking up two assists.
We reflected on the season that was in Winnipeg for him, playing up the middle, the impact of his “Identity Line”, being named Team MVP, his comfort in Manitoba, overcoming adversity, his increased level of production and more.
