The Buffalo Sabres have already juggled a handful of injury concerns throughout training camp and the preseason. It's raised questions about whether general manager Kevyn Adams should be looking to add more depth before an Oct. 9 Opening Night clash with the New York Rangers.
Perhaps Chicago Blackhawks winger Lukas Reichel, a 2020 first-round draft pick, is a potential answer to Buffalo's problems. Scott Powers of The Athletic reported Monday the Hawks have been shopping the 23-year-old German pretty aggressively ahead of the 2025-26 season.
"It's no secret the Blackhawks explored trading Reichel and, even in the last few days, let teams know he's available," Powers wrote. "What happens over the next week is anyone's guess. He could be traded. He could make the Blackhawks roster out of camp. He could be placed on waivers, and that could mean either being claimed by someone else or reassigned to the AHL."
The uncertainty about his future, namely Chicago possibly putting him on waivers, means he'd likely be a low-cost addition for the Sabres. While he's yet to live up to his draft pedigree, his NHL experience makes it a trade option Buffalo should at least explore.
Betting on the untapped potential of the Chicago Blackhawks' Lukas Reichel could pay off for the Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have been the focus of ample trade rumors throughout the offseason. There was a widespread expectation they'd be in the market for a top-six forward after they dealt high-scoring winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring.
Those conversations, which often centered around veterans like the Pittsburgh Penguins' Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, never really materialized. Adams decided to try to fill the void internally with the likes of Doan, Zach Benson and Jiri Kulich.
Yet, as Alex Tuch missed the start of camp with an injury and Jordan Greenway remained unable to practice following offseason surgery, Buffalo's depth concerns up front became apparent. Enforcer Mason Geertsen has been thrust into a potential season-opening role.
A possible trade for Reichel makes a lot of sense within that context.
The 6-foot winger said he's learned a lot about trying to keep himself in the right mindset after bouncing between the Hawks and the AHL's Rockford IceHogs over the past four years.
"I was really hard to myself always and that brought me down and then I didn't play with confidence," Reichel told Kalen Lumpkins of the Chicago Tribune. "Sometimes (it's) better to switch it and have that killer instinct on the ice, like 'I got this' or '(This) next trip is going better.' Just to stay more positive."
His play at the NHL level has been underwhelming. He's recorded just 54 points (20 goals and 34 assists) in 169 appearances for Chicago. His 22 points in 70 games last season was a career high.
Reichel was a lot more productive in the AHL before joining the Hawks on a full-time basis last year. He scored 116 points (42 goals and 74 helpers) in 121 contests for the IceHogs, a nearly point-per-game pace that hints he still has more offensive upside to show in the NHL.
His underlying numbers do show a lot of room for improvement, though. He ranked 16th among 20 Chicago forwards last season in relative expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at minus-3.3%, according to Natural Stat Trick.
So, there's no guarantee it's a trade that would pay off for Buffalo. He could struggle in a middle-six (or bottom-six) role for the Sabres and lead the team to non-tender him as a restricted free agent next summer.
That said, the acquisition cost should be minimal — maybe prospect Isak Rosen and a draft pick? — and he'd have a chance to crack the lineup, at least until Greenway is cleared to return.
For a team like the Sabres, who need to catch lightning in a bottle to finally make the playoffs again after a 14-year absence, there are far worse ideas than taking a chance on a former first-round pick who may still have another gear or two in his game.
At minimum, it's a call Adams should make to see what Chicago is asking.