Lukas Reichel never turned into the player the Chicago Blackhawks had hoped for when they picked him 17th overall in the 2020 draft.
His second trial run in the NHL at age 20 during the 2022-23 season was impressive and what earned him a place in the NHL. Reichel put up seven goals and 15 points in 23 games, and looked like a player with a lot of potential that was about to break through. From there, everything went downhill with the Blackhawks.
Chicago hardly gave Reichel the opportunity to play in the top-6, and while players have to earn it, he was given ice time with fourth liners and could showcase the offensive skill he possesses. That stayed generally the same for the past two seasons and he was even a healthy scratch for some games this season before coming into the lineup and forcing his way onto the scoresheet. But it was too late as trade conversations surrounding Reichel had been going on since at least the summer.
The Blackhawks are a young team with some veterans sprinkled in there, but they are starting to turn a corner. There are plenty more prospects to still come and there just wasn't a place for Reichel the way Chicago was utilizing him. He had to get traded before his potential turned into just another middle-aged average forward.
The trade to the Vancouver Canucks may be the best thing for him, and the Canucks as well. This is a team that is very banged up at forward, missing Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Nils Hoglander, and Teddy Blueger. The center depth is very weak without two of the top three centers in the lineup, and it wasn't very good with a healthy lineup.
Vancouver desperately needed another center and Reichel, while not being the sure-fire top-6 center they need, is a great choice. He was cheap to acquire, plays center, stays healthy, and has the skill that could really work with a larger workload and while playing higher up in the lineup.
Reichel is just 23 years old and has 174 games of NHL experience. Even though the Canucks are better on paper than the Blackhawks, the Blackhawks had less space to utilize Reichel the way the Canucks would, especially be able to while there are so many injuries.
Reichel has two goals and four points in five games this season. Sure, three of those points came in the same game, but he was moved up to the top line before being traded, proving what could be with a better opportunity. He has also done this while averaging 9:42 of ice time per game. The Canucks have Reichel for this season and he is an RFA in the summer. Whichever direction Vancouver goes in, they don't tend to stay healthy and have some solid wingers. Reichel is in a good position to succeed if they let him and could finally start to realize his potential.
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