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There can be such a thing as too many good prospects in the system for a rebuilding team, at least that’s what the Vancouver Canucks are banking on. 

Lukas Reichel, once a highly touted prospect of the Chicago Blackhawks and the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, was traded to the Canucks today in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 draft. 

Reichel, according to insider Pierre LeBrun, had asked for a trade. 

Reichel had asked for a trade, looking for a better fit elsewhere. Reichel’s agent Allain Roy says things were not contentious. He credits Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson for how things were handled. Says they had been discussing it for a while. https://t.co/oSqNFXfWeI

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 24, 2025

It makes perfect sense for the Canucks to look at adding Reichel. Considered one of the best prospects in the league for a few years, it’s been admittedly tough for the German forward over the last couple of years. In his second season in the NHL in 2022-23 (when he was still considered a rookie in terms of games played), Reichel put up 15 points in 23 games for Chicago and was at nearly a point-per-game pace in the AHL. 

In 2023-24, however, Reichel struggled. The thought was that he and Blackhawks’ phenom Connor Bedard would pair well together on Chicago’s first line. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen that way. Bedard enjoyed a successful rookie season, while Reichel put up 16 points in 65 games in limited ice time. 

With even less ice time the next year (to the tune of just under 12 minutes a night), Reichel scored 22 points in 70 games. 

Again this year, Reichel’s ice time went even lower, to just under 10 minutes a night. Despite that, he was able to rack up four points in five games with the Blackhawks. (Granted, three of those came in an 8-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.)

It’s an ideal fit for the Canucks right now at a bargain bin price. Reichel is still a skilled, fast forward. And the Canucks desperately need skill at the top of their lineup, especially with Filip Chytil out of the lineup. 

The knock on Reichel has been that he doesn’t necessarily have enough of the top-of-the-line skill required to succeed in an NHL team’s top six forward group. And he doesn’t have the defensive tools to play in the bottom six. 

The Canucks certainly don’t need more forwards to fill out the latter roles, but they could definitely use some speed and some creativity up front. Reichel also plays both centre and wing something that can definitely help out an ailing Vancouver squad. 

Teddy Blueger, Chytil, and Jonathan Lekkerimaki are currently out with injuries. Reichel was a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency trade. But he comes with vritually no risk. 

Grade: B+

Reichel might be on his way to being termed a bust. But the trade carries with it little risk and if he can energize some of the top guys and bring some skill to the lineup… how can you not like the dart-throw attempt? Reichel will likely get a chance to prove he can produce points with star players, like he never fully could in Chicago. If he doesn’t, he might find himself in the press box sooner than later. 

At a $1.2 million cap hit that expires at the end of the year, swing away, Patrik Allvin.