Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Reichel da Flames sun warware matsalarsu kafin kakar NHL ta 1996 <unk> 97 kuma sun amince da kwangilar shekaru uku, dalar Amurka miliyan 4.4. Ya yi gwagwarmaya sosai a dawowarsa Calgary, Reichel yana da kwallaye 16 da maki 43 kawai a cikin wasanni 70 tare da Calgary, kuma sakamakon haka ya zama batun jita-jitar kasuwanci. Flames sun aike shi zuwa New York Islanders a ranar 18 ga Maris, 1997, a musayar Marty McInnis, Tyrone Garner da zabin zagaye na shida a cikin
Zaɓin shiga NHL na 1997. A cikin wasanni 12 tare da 'yan tsibirin don kammala kakar wasa, Reichel ya rubuta maki 19 kuma ya gama shekara tare da 53 a hade tsakanin kungiyoyin biyu.