After a small move involving minor league players earlier on deadline day, the Bruins wrapped up their business with another minor move.
Just after the deadline had passed, the Bruins announced that they’ve acquired forward Lukas Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks.
(Side note: the press release used weird phrasing, which was “Bruins agree to acquire Lukas Reichel.” I’m not sure that means anything, but it was odd.)
The B’s will be sending a sixth-round pick in this June’s NHL draft to Vancouver in exchange
for Reichel.
Reichel is a left-shot wing who has spent most of this season with AHL Abbotsford, where he had 6G-7A-13PTS totals in 23 games.
The 23-year-old forward had a decent showing for Team Germany at the recent Winter Olympics, recording 2G-1A-3PTS in 5 games.
The Canucks acquired Reichel from Chicago back in October, sending a 2027 fourth-round pick to Chicago in exchange.
At the time, Reichel had asked to be moved in search of a better fit, as he wasn’t getting much of a look with the Blackhawks.
Reichel will be a restricted free agent at season’s end.
He has played 188 NHL games over the course of his young career, recording 22 goals and 37 assists in that span.
His two best seasons came from 2023-2025 in Chicago, when he had a spot as an NHL regular and appeared in 65 and 70 NHL games.
The Blackhawks drafted Reichel 17th overall in the 2020 draft.
It looks like this move is probably a mixture of adding depth to Providence, adding some potential competition to the forward corps in Boston, and just taking a shot on a potential reclamation project.
A sixth-round pick isn’t nothing, but it’s not a ton to give up if you’re acquiring a kid who you believe has upside.
Reichel will presumably report to Providence.
He does require waivers to move between the AHL and NHL, but since he was already playing in the AHL, I’m guessing that doesn’t apply here.
Anyways, not exactly a thrilling move, but…depth, right?
