Bruins trade for former first-round pick Lukas Reichel

“He’s got some upside that as a young player, I think that our guys were intrigued by to take a swing there.”

Lukas Reichel played for Team Germany during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

March 6, 2026 | 6:10 PM

2 minutes to read

The Boston Bruins weren’t able to strike any deal to acquire proven NHL talent before Friday’s trade deadline.

But Don Sweeney and his staff did opt to take a flier on a younger player with a first-round pedigree in Lukas Reichel.

Boston traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to Vancouver to acquire Reichel — a speedy forward who has yet to see his talents translate to the NHL ranks.

Reichel, 23, was drafted 17th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks — scoring 22 goals and 59 points in 188 career games in the NHL.

This marks the second time this season that Reichel has been traded, as Chicago flipped him to the Canucks in October for a 2027 fourth-round selection.

In 19 games between Chicago and Vancouver this season, Reichel has scored two goals and five total points.

He has also appeared in 23 games for Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Abbotsford — scoring six goals and 13 points over that stretch.

Speaking after Friday’s trade deadline wrapped, Sweeney believes that Reichel could offer some upside with a change of scenery.

“He spent a lot of time in the league. He’s had some success, obviously a high-profile draft, great speed, two-position player. Got moved to Vancouver for a different opportunity. It didn’t necessarily work the way he wanted it to, [has] familiarity with our coach.

“So I think there’s an opportunity, and we look at it and say that it’s an area that we could improve our hockey club, and playing with a little more speed, inside ice is going to be paramount for him. … He’s got some upside that as a young player, I think that our guys were intrigued by to take a swing there.”

Reichel, like Marco Sturm, hails from Germany. The shifty winger tallied two goals and an assist in five games for Germany at the 2026 Olympics in Milan.

The Bruins are no strangers to trying to unearth value out of former first-round picks and other depressed assets looking for a clean slate elsewhere.

Reichel offers some appeal given his skating ability and offensive gifts. But he’ll need to earn his way back into the NHL ranks, with Sweeney noting that he’ll begin his Bruins’ tenure in Providence.

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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