A former Chicago Blackhawks forward has hit the waiver wire.

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have placed former Blackhawks first-round pick Lukas Reichel on waivers.

The Blackhawks traded Reichel earlier this season to the Canucks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. This was after Reichel was the subject of several trade rumors, as he struggled to find his fit with the Blackhawks.

The Canucks hoped that Reichel would thrive with a change of scenery, but the young forward has only struggled more. In 14 games with the Canucks since the trade, he has recorded zero goals, one assist, and a minus-5 rating. He also became the odd man out in Vancouver's lineup, as he has not played since their Nov. 28 contest against the San Jose Sharks. 

Reichel was selected by the Blackhawks with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 174 games over five seasons with the Blackhawks, he recorded 22 goals, 36 assists, 58 points, and a minus-60 rating. 

The Chicago Blackhawks are set to take on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. This is the second half of a back-to-back for Chicago. In these situations (second half of back-to-backs), the Blackhawks have been beaten both times badly. 

Now, the Blackhawks have a chance to make that issue right. They lost 3-2 to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, and now they need to find a way to play well one night later. 

Scouting Detroit

The Detroit Red Wings employ Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane. He plays there with Alex DeBrincat, and the two are very solid together. Kane is not a superstar producer anymore, but he's still very good and a threat to create offense on every shift. 

Finnie - Larkin - Raymond

DeBrincat - Copp - Kane

Rasmussen - Compher - Berggren

Soderblom - Kasper - Danielson

Edvinsson - Seider

Chiarot - Sandin Pellikka

Johansson - Hamonic

Gibson

The Detroit Red Wings have a lot of young talent in addition to Kane and DeBrincat, who are solid veterans who help them calm the waters. 

Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka are the youthful players on the team, while captain Dylan Larkin drives play. All-in-all, this is a solid group that can win any game. 

Cam Talbot started in their last game, so you can expect to see John Gibson in the net for the Wings. As long as everyone plays their game in front of him, he should give his team a chance. 

Patrick Kane is sitting on 497 career goals. A hat trick against his old team would put him in the exclusive 500 goals club. In the event that this doesn't happen, Kane will reach the milestone shortly after. 

Patrick Kane on Verge of Major Milestone as He Faces BlackhawksPatrick Kane was one of the core pieces and superstars for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks">Chicago Blackhawks</a> during their dynasty that hoisted three Stanley Cups, but the team went into a rebuild and he was traded in 2022-23.

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks will not have Connor Bedard in this game. He injured himself on Friday night, and an update will be provided on Monday. 

Jeff Blashill Provides Tough Update On Connor Bedard's Injury StatusAfter their loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday, Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill provided a tough update on Connor Bedard.

In his place, the Blackhawks are going to have Nick Lardis called up from the Rockford IceHogs. He will make his NHL debut against the Red Wings. 

There was no morning skate for the Blackhawks, so there is no way of knowing exactly how things will line up. Warmups will indicate the lines, defense pairs, and goalie decision for Chicago. It is hard to even project the lineup because of Bedard's absence and Lardis' addition. 

Arvid Soderblom is likely going to start in the net as Spencer Knight went against the Blues on Friday night. That will be confirmed or denied during the warmups as well. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game locally, it can be found on CHSN. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Winnipeg Jets could be on the verge of handing rookie goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis his NHL debut Saturday night when they host the Washington Capitals, a possibility that has sparked widespread speculation among fans and media alike.

Questions around the Jets’ starting goaltender emerged earlier Saturday after the team released its projected lineup on X, formerly known as Twitter, accompanied by the caption: “No indication has been made on tonight’s starting goalie.” The vague wording immediately fueled speculation that Winnipeg may be preparing to give DiVincentiis his first NHL start.

The uncertainty comes as veteran backup Eric Comrie continues to shoulder a heavy workload in the absence of regular starter Connor Hellebuyck, who remains sidelined. Comrie has started seven consecutive games for the Jets, a demanding stretch that could prompt the coaching staff to give him a much-needed night off.

While Comrie has battled through the stretch, results have been mixed. He has won just one of his last six starts, and with Winnipeg looking to stabilize its play and manage workloads, the idea of a fresh look in goal has gained traction.

Dom with a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIG STRETCH pic.twitter.com/DJqHCMT8JU

— Manitoba Moose (@ManitobaMoose) November 15, 2025

DiVincentiis’ recall has been widely anticipated within the organization and among fans. The 20-year-old netminder impressed during training camp and the preseason, positioning himself as a legitimate option should the Jets need depth in goal.

With the AHL’s Manitoba Moose this season, DiVincentiis has been among the league’s more consistent goaltenders. Despite a 6-7-1 record that reflects the challenges faced by the Moose, he has posted a respectable 2.49 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage, numbers that underscore his individual performance and poise beyond his years.

Jets Aim to Snap Lengthy Losing Streak Against Scorching Hot CapitalsThe Winnipeg Jets aim to snap their losing streak against a red-hot Capitals team led by Olympic hopefuls in Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson.

Head coach Scott Arniel has not confirmed a starter for Saturday’s matchup, leaving open the possibility that Winnipeg could turn to Comrie once again or the rookie against a flaming hot Capitals team led by Alex Ovechkin.

If DiVincentiis does get the nod, it would mark a significant milestone in his development and offer the Jets a glimpse of a potential future piece between the pipes. For now, the team remains noncommittal, but all signs point to a decision that could come right up until puck drop.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Game info 

Who: Nashville Predators (12-14-4, 8th Central) at Colorado Avalanche (22-2-7, 1st in Central) 

When: 8 p.m. CST 

Where:  Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado 

TV: WTVF Channel 5 

Radio: 102.5 The Game 

Line (via BetMGM): Predators +1.5, Avalanche -1.5. Over/under 6.5 (+100/-120). 

First line flourishing 

The Nashville Predators' first line has been massive to the team's success over the last eight games. 

Steven Stamkos has 10 points in eight games, which included a four-goal game in Thursday's 7-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Luke Evangelista now has 13 points in nine games, which include four multi-point games. Ryan O'Reilly, who has been the Predators' top player all season, has five points in five games. 

The trio has been the driving force behind the Predators' winning six of their last eight games, including a 4-3 shootout victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday. O'Reilly had the lone shootout goal in that game. 

Saros locked in 

Outside of the 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, where Saros was pulled for Justus Annunen, Saros has been playing some of his best hockey of the season. 

In December, in five games started, he has a 4-1-0 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. It's a massive jump from the .873 save percentage and 3.35 goals against average from November. 

In the win over the Avalanche, he had a season-best 39 saves on 42 shots. Two nights later, he made 24 saves on 26 shots in the win over the Blues. In the five games played in December, Saros had three 30+ save performances. 

Preds playing short 

With Cole Smith still out and the Predators trading Spencer Stastney to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Nashville will be playing with 11 forwards and six defensemen on this two-game road trip. 

General manager Barry Trotz said that the roster should be filling up soon, with Justin Barron nearing a return and the Stastney trade allowing the team to work younger forwards into the system. 

However, ahead of their game against the Avalanche, the Predators' only roster transaction was sending an injured Zach L'Heureux down to Milwaukee. The Predators have been playing short over the last few games and have seemed to thrive with lower numbers. 

Facing top-ranked Avs 

Despite handing the Avalanche a loss on Tuesday, that has not dethroned them from the top spot in the NHL. Following the loss in Nashville, the Avalanche ripped off a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, seeing six different Colorado players score. 

Nathan Mackinnon leads the league in points (53 points) and goals (25 goals). Martin Necas is third in the league in assists with 29 and Avalanche players own four of the top five best plus/minuses in the NHL (MacKinnon 37, Necas 30, Cale Makar 29, Lehkonen 37).

In net, Scott Wedgewood, a former Predators player, has the second most wins in the league with 13, the fourth best goals-against average (2.11) and sixth best save percentage (.919).

Backup Mackenzie Blackwood is also ranked as one of the top goaltenders in the league with a 2.19 goals against average (sixth) and a .920 save percentage (tied-fourth). 

As a team, the Avalanche have only lost at home twice this season, once in regulation to the New Jersey Devils, 8-4, on Oct. 26 and the other to the Dallas Stars, 5-4, in a shootout on Oct. 11.