Canucks GM Confident in Lukas Reichel After Trade

After being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks as pick No. 17 in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft, it became apparent early on that young left winger Lukas Reichel was going to develop into quite the playmaker on the ice.

So far during his 2025-26 campaign, he has scored two goals and made two assists for four points across five games. His most successful matchup this season in terms of numbers took place on Oct. 15 when he posted two goals and one assist against the St. Louis Blues, amassing three points.

Reichel had been a valuable player for the Blackhawks, but now his journey in the NHL has taken a different path. The 23-year-old has found a new home with the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, according to the Canucks' trade alert.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft. pic.twitter.com/PeZEU8YOKt
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 24, 2025

Canucks' Boss Believes Reichel Has "More to Come"

Chicago Blackhawks Left Wing Lukas Reichel — Feb 27, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Lukas Reichel (73) warms up before a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Chicago has been scoping out options for Reichel for quite some time now, but finding a new home for the rising star hasn't been a seamless process. After his 2023-24 season — the height of his NHL career thus far — he seems to have experienced a drop in overall performance.

That season, he skated in 23 games and recorded seven goals and eight assists for 15 points. Compare this to his 2024-25 year, in which he appeared in 70 games, yet recorded only eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points. Perhaps a transition to Vancouver will be an opportunity for Reichel to build himself back up.

"I was fortunate to see him playing in Berlin his draft year. I appreciated his competitiveness, his skillset and his ability to skate," said general manager Patrik Allvin, per NHL.com. "Over time, you've been waiting to see if this guy would be able to take it to the next level and establish himself as an NHL player. It's been for most of the young players a little bit of an up and down until you establish yourself, but you can see that speed in his game."

"We definitely believe that he has the ability to [play center] here and we'll definitely give it a try here," Allvin continued. "It's our job as an organization and with our coaches and the development staff that we have, it's our job to help him take his job to the next level. What intrigues us is the speed coming through the neutral zone and his skill level there. Those are things that make us excited about him, and he's still young, so I believe there is more to come."

Allvin appears to have the utmost confidence in Reichel's ability, but above all, he sees the potential that he has. Ultimately, the young left winger didn't live up to the expectations that we set for him with the Blackhawks, but that doesn't mean that he can't meet them elsewhere.

Time will tell if Chicago gave up on their young star too quickly. With Allvin thinking about Reichel's future and expressing the desire to help him grow as a player, this could be the turning point of his NHL career.

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