The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to find help anywhere they can. GM Brad Treliving has been working overtime, trying to find additions. However, Toronto’s cap space and lack of marketable pieces have made it nearly impossible to get anything done.
So, the Maple Leafs must prioritize finding value in places where others may have overlooked. It’s like trying to find an undervalued stock during a market hyperbubble. But that’s what the Leafs could find in one beleaguered forward.
The forward in question is Vancouver Canucks winger Lukas Reichel.
Reichel recently hit the waiver wire, clearing on Monday. The 23-year-old has had a down year this season. He had four points in five games with the Blackhawks this season, but seemed the odd man out in Chicago.
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The Blackhawks jettisoned Reichel to the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round pick in 2027. But he managed just one point in 14 games. Hence, he hit the waiver wire. The Toronto Maple Leafs, along with every other NHL team, passed on the former first-round pick.
The reason is simple: His $1.2 million cap hit is too much for most teams to stomach on a player like Reichel.
But what if the Maple Leafs could take him on despite the cap hit? If the Leafs were willing to do so, the Canucks would practically give him away. Vancouver wouldn’t mind dumping Reichel on someone else. Meanwhile, Toronto could have a serviceable young player, really looking for a fresh start, without really costing much.
Maple Leafs Could Use Reichel in the Middle Six
Reichel was once considered a potential high-end forward prospect. He was the 17th overall pick in 2020 and came with justifiable hype. However, that hype has never translated into NHL success. Last season, Reichel appeared in 70 games, scoring eight goals and 22 points. Those numbers weren’t what the Blackhawks wanted. Plus, the growing stable of prospects pushed Reichel out of the Blackhawks’ lineup.
As for the Maple Leafs, Reichel could be a major upgrade over someone like Matias Maccelli. While Maccelli hasn’t been bad, he hasn’t really fit in. Maccelli landed in Toronto with unfair expectations, looking to fill a gaping hole in the team’s lineup.
Now, those expectations have come back to haunt him. That’s something the Maple Leafs could correct with Reichel. Zero expectations and a shot at the NHL could be enough to give the German prospect an opportunity to shine.
Leafs Must Be Realistic about Reichel
Lukas Reichel is more of a reclamation project at this point. But he could be a fruitful one. Teams like the Colorado Avalanche have had success with castoff prospects from other teams. The Avalanche proved that when they acquired Gavin Brindley from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Charlie Coyle cap dump trade.
The Maple Leafs must become adept at identifying such opportunities. But they must also be realistic. Someone like Reichel won’t change the team overnight. If anything, he could be a welcome addition to the middle six. His eagerness to prove he belongs could put him in a similar spot as Nick Robertson, for instance.
If the Leafs can land a player like Lukas Reichel from the bargain bin, Brad Treliving would be remiss not to at least kick the tires and see what the price to bring him in would be.
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