After months and months of trade rumors, the Lukas Reichel saga finally concluded on Friday afternoon. Reichel reportedly sought a fresh start and asked the Blackhawks to be traded, and general manager Kyle Davidson granted his wish, sending him to the Vancouver Canucks.
More in the links on the return for Reichel, and why the Blackhawks handled the situation properly.
Also in Blackhawks news, goalie prospect Adam Gajan’s stellar start to his sophomore season continued, and 2025 third-round pick Nathan Behm played a major part in the Kamloops Blazers’ comeback.
Around the league, Alex Ovechkin is now just one goal short of 900 in his career, Alex Kerfoot will miss serious time for Utah, while Carter Hart officially signed a contract in Vegas.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Trade, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: It’s a disappointing end to Lukas Reichel’s tenure in Chicago. The Blackhawks traded the former 2020 first-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. While GM Kyle Davidson only netted a fourth-round pick in return, he made the correct decision by giving Reichel a fresh start.
More CHN: Reichel’s final game with the team came on Thursday in a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he started the contest on the top line with Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi. Even though he tallied an assist, Reichel didn’t play a big factor in the Blackhawks victory.
Several Blackhawks prospects were in action on Friday night, including 2023 second-round pick Adam Gajan. Chicago made Gajan the first goalie off the board in the 2023 NHL Draft, and he’s starting to show his promise during his sophomore season of college hockey. Gajan pitched a 17-save shutout against Minnesota, which now brings him to 6-1-0 on the year. He also has an incredible 1.29 goals-against average and .932 save percentage through seven games.
Blackhawks 2024 third-round pick John Mustard scored his third goal of the season in Providence’s 2-2 tie with St. Thomas on Friday. Mustard now has four points in four games to start his sophomore campaign.
Another third-round selection, but in the 2025 NHL Draft, Nathan Behm picked up four assists in the Kamloops Blazers 6-5 overtime win over Medicine Hat. That brings Behm up to 18 points (7G, 11A) through 11 games on the season.
2024 first-round pick Sacha Boisvert was out of the lineup again for Boston University, and Terriers head coach Jay Pandolfo provided an update on his status after an 8-4 loss to UConn.
MIH: Coach Jay Pandolfo on Boisvert’s status:
“We have to make sure he is health. He is too important to our group, and it’s still early.”
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) October 25, 2025
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy is making calls, while teams are reportedly kicking the tires on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov. Here’s the latest trade rumblings around the league.
NHLdotcom: Speaking of Columbus, they surrended a goal to Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin on Friday night. That happens to be the 899th career NHL tally for Ovechkin, as he’s now just one shy of being the first player to ever record 900.
Daily Faceoff: Alex Kerfoot’s season debut for the Utah Mammoth isn’t coming anytime soon. Utah GM Bill Armstrong announced that Kerfoot will be out for 8-10 weeks after undergoing a procedure to repair a core muscle injury.
Sportsnet: Jonathan Toews scored for the first time in his hometown of Winnipeg as a member of the Jets in the team’s 5-3 win over Calgary on Friday.
New Jersey Hockey Now: Lucky number seven! The New Jersey Devils extended their winning streak over the San Jose Sharks, with Dougie Hamilton scoring two of the team’s three goals.
Vegas Hockey Now: Carter Hart, one of five Hockey Canada players acquitted over the summer, joined the Vegas Golden Knights on a PTO last week. Now, Hart has officially signed a two-year deal in Vegas, where he can make his return to the NHL on December 1st.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins keep winning games, but is their play sustainable throughout the rest of the season?
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