Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin spoke to the media about Friday afternoon’s trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire forward Lukas Reichel for a fourth-round pick in 2027.
Reichel was drafted 17th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Draft.
The 23-year-old has experience playing centre in the AHL, and with the familiarity with Canucks’ Assistant Coach Kevin Dean during his time in Chicago, they felt Reichel’s skill set would complement what the team is looking for.
“I was fortunate to see him play in Berlin in his draft year [and I] appreciated his competitiveness, his skill set, and his ability to skate. 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 like for most of the young players, a little bit of an up and down, until you establish yourselves. But you can see the skill set; you can see the speed in his game,” Allvin said.
“Obviously we liked him as a person and character too. So, we’re excited to get him in here and continue to work with him.”
The Canucks like his speed through the neutral zone and offensive creativity, and the organization will work with Reichel to enhance his skills and help him grow as a player.
“I think it’s our job as an organization and with our coaches and the development staff we have, to help him take his game to the next level,” Allvin said. “He’s still young, so I believe there is more to come.”
The 23-year-old has tallied 58 points (22-36-58) through 174 NHL games and has 121 AHL games under his belt with the Rockford IceHogs, posting 116 points (42-74-116) and 22 penalty minutes, and was named to the 2023 AHL All-Star Game.
From Nürnberg, Germany, Reichel has represented Germany on the international stage since 2017 (U16, U17, and U18 competition) including the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championships, and four World Championships.
With a back-to-back this weekend against the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, Allvin said Reichel would get a chance in the lineup if he arrives in Vancouver Friday evening.