The lingering story of a Chicago Blackhawks forward has come to a close. After five seasons full of questions, his tenure ended with one more.

What if?

Left winger Lukas Reichel was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick. This came after months of rumors and discussions about the forward’s role with the team.

The Hawks now have 16 total picks in the next two drafts — nine in 2026 and seven in 2027.

The Hawks selected Reichel with the No. 17 pick in the 2020 draft. NHL Central Scouting had compared him to Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, and former Hawks director of scouting Mark Kelley praised Reichel for “exceeding expectations” .

Size wasn’t the reason the Hawks drafted Reichel, who entered the NHL at 6 feet and 170 pounds. It was th

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