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Analysis: Lukas Reichel traded to Vancouver

Originally posted on The Rink | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 3:36 PM ET

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Lukas Reichel on Friday, ending a long-lasting saga of the German’s status in the organization. The 23-year-old-forward goes to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The 2027 fourth-round pick is the Blackhawks’ selection. It was part of the trade that brought forward Ilya Mikheyev to Chicago in 2024.

Reichel, selected 17th overall back in 2020, has recorded 58 points in 174 career NHL games. He currently has one year left on his contract, paying him $1.2 million. Chicago did not retain salary.

Analysis

When Reichel was drafted, many scouts and analysts considered it a reach. Many mock drafts had Reichel as an early second-round, maybe late first-round pick. Selecting him at 17 shocked many. At the time of the draft, media members like Scott Wheeler and Chris Peters complimented Reichel for his offensive skillset, but worried if his defensive game would develop enough to help him excel. Many considered him a safe middle-six forward prospect.

After spending his draft year in Germany, Reichel came overseas to start the 2021-2022 season with the Rockford IceHogs. He exploded in the AHL, putting up 57 points in 56 games. In 11 NHL games that season, he recorded one assist.

Reichel grabbed a lot of attention the following season. After the trade deadline that sent Blackhawks icon Patrick Kane away, many settled into a tank. During the tank, Reichel shined, scoring 15 points in 23 NHL games. This performance gave some fans belief that Reichel could develop beyond his draft expectations.

Unfortunately, Reichel never recaptured the magic. Since the 2022-23 season, Reichel has recorded 42 points in 140 NHL games.

Why did Reichel never repeat what was seen after the 2023 trade deadline? Some hypothesized that it was the coaching of Luke Richardson and Anders Sorensen. Where he played in the lineup, if he played at all and his linemates were consistent suspects in the case of Reichel.

However, the solution may be less exciting. Reichel shot at a 16.7% rate in 2022-23. Simply, he scored at an unsustainable rate. Reichel benefitted from the rest of the league still trying to figure him out. Once the league made adjustments, Reichel’s effectiveness dried up.

Further proof of Reichel’s stagnation is in his analytical profile. Although the chart above is only from this season, the same trends can be seen in previous seasons’ charts. He showed great speed and an impressive ability to enter the offensive zone with possession. However, additional skillsets failed to emerge. Once it became apparent to the Blackhawks that further development may not happen, they found a trade partner.

Final thoughts

Here’s the thing about potential. At some point, teams run out of time to see if players can reach it. The difficulty in assessing young players is when to decide if he has more to unlock, or if he is who he is.

With only one year left on his “prove it” contract, Chicago assessed that Reichel did not prove enough. When the summer of 2026 would come around, it would become harder for Chicago to justify keeping Reichel when other forward prospects make it to the NHL.

The trade does not come as a surprise to both player and team. As reported by Pierre LeBrun on X, Reichel had asked for a trade. Reichel’s agent came out saying things were not contentious, even complimenting Kyle Davidson’s professionalism during the process.

If Reichel unlocks a new gear and plays his way into another NHL contract, good for him. Unfortunately, his time in Chicago had run out. A popular teammate, and Blackhawks social media star, is now a Canuck.

This article first appeared on The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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