Rychel is a strong power winger who can put the puck in the opponents net. He has little difficulty getting around the ice with his skating, but he won’t be blowing by any defenders with his speed. His balance is good and he is not easily knocked off his feet. Due to his size, he doesn’t really need to be the first man in for puck possession in the offensive zone as he is able to physical overpower the opposition at this level. He dominates the boards and front of the net with his size and toughness on most nights. There is nothing fancy or pretty with Rychel’s skill-set, as he drives the net and uses his size and strength to bring the puck with him, often playing like a man amongst boys for Windsor. He’s very capable with the puck on his stick, though not possessing the softest mitts to make dekes and cuts. He uses his hockey sense to make solid plays on the puck. He’s next to impossible to get the puck off him when he works down low and along the boards. Rychel does have a creative/playmaking side to his game that should continue to develop. He has good vision and makes passes with good accuracy and timing and possesses an absolute cannon of a slap shot in addition to a very hard wrist shot. He gets himself to the right spaces on the ice and when he gets there he is impossible to push out. He’s dangerous in close to the net both because of his shot and his stature. Rychel goes out of his way to be aggressive in games, with a few big hits being thrown here and there. However, his physicality is most noticeable in how he wins puck battles along the boards and how he retrieves the puck through sheer intimidation and effort. Rychel looks even bigger than his size would suggest he is, looking gigantic compared to other players on the ice at the OHL level. He is more than willing to drop the gloves and make a point or stand-up for himself. The one aspect of his game that stands out is his gritty play and work ethic as he battles and battles all game long. At his best as a complementary forward that can crash and bang around the net. (May 2013)