Ex-Blackhawk Lukas Reichel officially moved by the Vancouver Canucks in a major turn of events

The 23-year-old former Chicago first-round pick is reportedly available on the trade market barely a month after being acquired by the Vancouver Canucks.

Reichel, taken 17th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020, was acquired by the Canucks in a low-risk trade for a fourth-round pick, a selection that ironically once belonged to Chicago.

The hope was that his speed and playmaking could add depth while Vancouver dealt with injuries that hampered their forward corps early in the 2025-26 season.

Instead of settling in, his stint with the Canucks has been uneven at best. Reichel has been in and out of the lineup, scratched multiple times, and has just one assist in 14 games with Vancouver before the recent news that he's facing a potential exit. Wikipedia Reports out of the hockey rumor mill suggest the Canucks have made Reichel available to other teams, less than six weeks after swinging the trade. The

Fans saw flashes of what made him a first-round pick during his brief early NHL days in Chicago, and Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin once talked about unlocking that potential. But with limited production and the return of injured forwards looming, roster spots have become more precious.

He was removed from the Canucks' roster on Saturday to make roster space after Quinn Hughes was traded by the Canucks and cleared waivers; the Canucks are now set to either send him to Abbotsford or use him as a trade chip.

Either way, his Vancouver tenure is all over.

What once looked like a calculated youth-movement addition has turned into a different kind of story: one about opportunity, fit, and how fast things can change in the NHL.