Canucks Put Lukas Reichel on Waivers After Roster Crunch
So here’s what’s going on with Lukas Reichel and the Vancouver Canucks, and it all ties back to one of the biggest trades we’ve seen this season. Following the blockbuster deal that sent Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks suddenly found themselves with a serious numbers problem. They brought in three players in that trade while only sending one out, which pushed their active roster to 24 players — one over the NHL’s maximum limit.
Because of that, a move had to be made, and ultimately, it was Lukas Reichel who ended up on the waiver wire. The 23-year-old forward was placed on waivers with non-roster status, less than two months after Vancouver acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks in late October. It’s not exactly how the Canucks imagined things would play out when they traded for him, hoping a fresh start would help unlock his offensive potential.
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Reichel initially showed some promise after arriving in Vancouver. He was given meaningful minutes, even spending time at center when injuries piled up at that position. But as the weeks went on, the production simply wasn’t there. In 14 games with the Canucks, only one assist was recorded, along with a minus-five rating, while averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time. His role steadily shrank, to the point where he appeared in only one of the team’s last ten games.
With the Canucks needing to get back under the roster limit, other options were considered. Marco Rossi was placed on injured reserve to free up one spot, but another player still had to come off the active roster. Reichel was ultimately the odd man out, despite his first-round pedigree and the investment made to acquire him.
Reichel is currently in the final year of a two-year, $2.4 million contract, carrying a $1.2 million cap hit. If he clears waivers, he’ll be assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. That move would clear most of his cap hit from Vancouver’s books and allow the team to move away from relying on long-term injured reserve, giving them some much-needed salary cap flexibility.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Reichel. He has spent time in the AHL before, most recently during the 2023–24 season with the Rockford IceHogs, where his offensive numbers were far more encouraging. Over multiple AHL seasons, he showed he could produce, putting up 41 goals and 108 points in 111 games.
Now, the next 24 hours will determine what comes next. Another team could take a chance on a former first-round pick still trying to find his footing at the NHL level. If not, Reichel’s career will take another reset in the minors, as he looks for yet another fresh start in a season that has already taken a dramatic turn.
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