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Will Lockwood

Panthers Recall Will Lockwood

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After sending defenseman Uvis Balinskis down yesterday, the Panthers didn’t waste any time filling their open roster spot.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled winger William Lockwood from AHL Charlotte.

The 25-year-old is in his first season after splitting last year between the Canucks and Rangers, primarily suiting up with their AHL affiliates.  He became a Group Six unrestricted free agent and inked a two-year, two-way deal with the Panthers on the second day of free agency.

Lockwood has split the season between Florida and Charlotte.  He has gotten into seven games with the Panthers and has been held pointless while logging just 7:27 per night on the fourth line.  Meanwhile, with the Checkers, Lockwood has fared much better, putting up three goals and four assists in 14 games with them so far.

Lockwood is three NHL games away from needing to pass through waivers again but with the Panthers now carrying 14 forwards on their active roster, playing time may be difficult to come by in the short term.  Anton Lundell missed Florida’s last game due to illness but it’s not supposed to keep him out for long so Lockwood is likely to serve as a spare forward for the time being.

Canucks Acquire Vitali Kravtsov

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The Canucks are expected to be adding a young forward to their lineup as they’ve acquired winger Vitali Kravtsov from the Rangers.  Going to New York is winger William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.  Both teams have announced the deal.

Kravtsov was the ninth-overall pick in 2018 but has struggled in limited NHL action and has just three goals and three assists in 28 games this season.  He also played in 20 games back in 2020-21 and produced at a similar rate, notching two goals and two helpers in 20 contests.

Last season, Kravtsov opted to return to the KHL instead of reporting to New York, picking up 13 points in 17 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk during the regular season before adding seven goals in 15 playoff contests.  That was enough for New York to give him a one-year, one-way $875K contract for this season.  He’ll be arbitration-eligible this summer and will be owed a $840K qualifying offer.

To make room for Kravtsov on the roster, the Canucks announced (Twitter link) that center Curtis Lazar has been placed on injured reserve.  It’s the second trip to the IR for the 28-year-old who has five goals and 124 hits in 45 games this season.

As for Lockwood, the 24-year-old has been up and down this season, getting into 13 games with Vancouver where he picked up an assist along with 37 hits while averaging just over 10 minutes per game.  He has been more productive with AHL Abbotsford though, collecting a dozen goals and six assists in 26 contests.  He’s on a one-year, two-way deal with $750K in the NHL and should remain in the minors with his new team.

It’s certainly an underwhelming return for Kravtsov, once viewed as a key piece of the future for the Rangers.  However, his struggles in the NHL and the potential for him to return to the KHL certainly deflated his value.  But this move, coupled with the waiving of Jake Leschyshyn earlier today, will open up some extra cap space for New York to try to add another piece down the stretch; Chicago winger Patrick Kane has been speculatively linked to them recently and these deletions would be enough to squeak him in at 25% of his AAV.  Meanwhile, it’s about as low-risk an acquisition as possible for Vancouver who will now try to see if Kravtsov can become more of an impact player with a new organization.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that Kravtsov was being traded to Vancouver.

Will Lockwood Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Vancouver Canucks have moved William Lockwood to injured reserve after he left yesterday’s game following a hit from Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jack Johnson. He wouldn’t return and has quickly been ruled out for at least seven days – the minimum stay on IR.

Lockwood, 24, had only recently become a regular in the Vancouver lineup, playing 12 of his 13 appearances this season since New Year’s Eve. He hadn’t recorded a single point during that stretch though (his only assist came in a November game), and was receiving only around 10 minutes a night.

Despite his relatively small stature, Lockwood plays with a high motor and level of intensity, resulting in plenty of hits and board battles. If he can generate even a little offense, the 24-year-old could be an excellent full-time member of the team’s bottom six.

For now, though, he’ll have to wait and watch while he deals with whatever injury he suffered last night. In his place, Phillip Di Giuseppe has been recalled from the minor leagues.

The 29-year-old Di Giuseppe has 27 points in 29 games for the Abbotsford Canucks but hasn’t appeared in an NHL game this season.

Vancouver Canucks Recall William Lockwood, Reassign Nils Aman

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The Vancouver Canucks made a pair of corresponding transactions today, recalling right wing William Lockwood from the Abbotsford Canucks and sending down center Nils Aman.

Lockwood is having a strong season in the minors, notching 12 goals in 24 games with Abbotsford. It’s already a career-high in the AHL for him.

He’s played once in the NHL this season, registering an assist and a +1 rating in a November 15 win against the Buffalo Sabres. He could easily add to that total over the next few days as he battles with players like Sheldon Dries and Jack Studnicka for a spot in the lineup.

Aman had played in all 35 Canucks games up until this point in the season, so it’s surprising to see him sent down without much indication. A 22-year-old free agent signing out of Sweden, Aman impressed in training camp and has a goal and four assists so far in his young NHL career.

He heads to Abbotsford where he’ll get more ice time and a bit more offensive opportunity.

Canucks Activate Curtis Lazar, Assign Will Lockwood To AHL

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The Canucks are set to welcome back one of their centers in advance of tonight’s game against Los Angeles as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve activated Curtis Lazar off injured reserve.  To make room for him on the roster, Vancouver re-assigned winger Will Lockwood to AHL Abbotsford.

Lazar signed a three-year contract with the Canucks on the opening day of free agency back in July and was expected to anchor their fourth line, the role he held for a lot of his time with Boston previously.  He got into seven games last month but was shut down late in October after it was revealed that he was playing through an undisclosed injury.  Lazar had a goal and 17 hits in those contests while logging just shy of 12 minutes per game.

As for Lockwood, his second NHL stint of the season lasted longer than the first but that’s not saying much as he was only brought up on Tuesday and lasted just one extra day this time.  However, he did make his first NHL appearance of the season on this recall, picking up an assist against Buffalo on Tuesday.  Lockwood has been productive in the minors this season with five goals and two assists in ten appearances down there which will keep him at or near the top of the recall list whenever another recall is needed.

Canucks Re-Sign Three Players

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The Canucks have reached a contract agreement with three of their pending free agents as they announced deals for defenseman Jack Rathbone (one-way), blueliner Noah Juulsen (two-way), and winger Will Lockwood (two-way).  While the financial terms of the contracts weren’t disclosed, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Rathbone’s two-year deal will carry an $850K AAV while PuckPedia adds (Twitter link) that Lockwood’s is worth $750K in the NHL and $125K in the minors.  Meanwhile, CapFriendly reports that Juulsen’s pact is worth $750K in the NHL and $250K in the minors.

Rathbone, 23, was on an expiring contract but technically didn’t qualify for restricted free agency so he had 10.2(c) status which made him ineligible to receive an offer sheet.  He had an impressive season with AHL Abbotsford, picking up 10 goals and 30 assists in just 39 games.  However, his production didn’t translate to the NHL level as he was held off the scoresheet in nine games with Vancouver while averaging 13:30 per game of ice time.  He remains waiver-exempt for next season but he should have a chance to push for a full-time roster spot with the Canucks in training camp.

As for Juulsen, the 25-year-old was set to become a Group Six unrestricted free agent but will instead stick around.  Vancouver acquired the rearguard just before the beginning of the season from Florida along with forward Juho Lammikko in exchange for defenseman Olli Juolevi.  Juulsen got into eight games with the Canucks (giving him 56 NHL appearances for his career) but spent most of the year with Abbotsford, collecting 16 points in 50 contests.  He’ll likely return to the AHL level next season as long as he clears waivers in training camp.

Lockwood, meanwhile, had the most NHL playing time of the three in 2021-22 as the 24-year-old got into 13 contests with Vancouver but was held without a point.  He was more successful in the minors with Abbotsford, however, as he picked up nine goals and 16 helpers in 46 games.  Lockwood also has a year of waiver exemption remaining and will likely once again start next season in the minors with an eye on playing himself into being one of the first players recalled when injuries arise.

Training Camp Cuts: 01/12/21

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It’s the last day before NHL hockey returns, so teams will have to finalize their rosters and get ready for action. Though most of the heavy lifting was done yesterday, there will still be some cuts made today. We’ll keep track of them right here. This page will be updated throughout the day as more releases come in.

Buffalo Sabres (via team release):

F Andrew Oglevie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Arttu Ruotsalainen (to Rochester, AHL)
D Jacob Bryson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Mattias Samuelsson (to Rochester, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via team release):

F Jeremy Bracco (to Chicago, AHL)
F David Cotton (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jason Cotton (to Chicago, AHL)
F Seth Jarvis (to Chicago, AHL)
F Stelio Mattheos (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jamieson Rees (to Chicago, AHL)
F Sheldon Rempal (to Chicago, AHL)
F Drew Shore (to Chicago, AHL)
F Spencer Smallman (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ryan Suzuki (to Chicago, AHL)
D Joey Keane (to Chicago, AHL)
D Maxime Lajoie (to Chicago, AHL)
G Antoine Bibeau (to Chicago, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via team release):

F John Quenneville (to Rockford, AHL)
D Anton Lindholm (to Rockford, AHL)
D Nick Seeler (to Rockford, AHL)
G Matt Tomkins (to Rockford, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (via team release):

F Riley Barber (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Turner Elson (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Chase Pearson (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Evgeny Svechnikov (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Dominic Turgeon (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Joe Hicketts (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Brian Lashoff (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Kaden Fulcher (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Pat Nagle (released)

Montreal Canadiens (via team release):

F Brandon Baddock (to Laval, AHL)
F Alex Belzile (to Laval, AHL)
F Joseph Blandisi (to Laval, AHL)
F Laurent Dauphin (to Laval, AHL)
F Jacob Lucchini (to Laval, AHL)
F Joel Teasdale (to Laval, AHL)
F Lukas Vejdemo (to Laval, AHL)
F Jordan Weal (to Laval, AHL)
D Otto Leskinen (to Laval, AHL)
D Gustav Olofsson (to Laval, AHL)
D Xavier Ouellet (to Laval, AHL)
G Vasili Demchenko (to Laval, AHL)
G Michael McNiven (to Laval, AHL)
G Cayden Primeau (to Laval, AHL)
F Kevin Lynch (to Laval, AHL)

 

Philadelphia Flyers (via team release):

F Pascal Laberge (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Zayde Wisdom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Linus Sandin (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Tyson Foerster (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Matthew Strome (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Mason Millman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Chris Bigras (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Derrick Pouliot (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Egor Zamula (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Wyatte Wylie (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Felix Sandstrom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Max Willman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Roddy Ross (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

San Jose Sharks (via team release):

F Kurtis Gabriel (to San Jose, AHL)
F Antti Suomela (to San Jose, AHL)
D Trevor Carrick (to San Jose, AHL)
D Nick DeSimone (to San Jose, AHL)
D Fredrik Claesson (to San Jose, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release):

F Sam Anas (to Utica, AHL)
F Dakota Joshua (to Utica, AHL)
F Tanner Kaspick (to Utica, AHL)
F Hugh McGing (to Utica, AHL)
F Curtis McKenzie (to Utica, AHL)
F Jake Neighbours (to Utica, AHL)
F Evan Polei (to Utica, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to Utica, AHL)
F Nathan Walker (to Utica, AHL)
D Scott Perunovich (to Utica, AHL)
D Mitch Reinke (to Utica, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Utica, AHL)
D Tyler Tucker (to Utica, AHL)
D Jake Walman (to Utica, AHL)
G Evan Fitzpatrick (to Utica, AHL)
G Jon Gillies (to Utica, AHL)
F Matthias Laferriere (to Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team release):

F Jonah Gadjovich (to Utica, AHL)
F Lukas Jasek (to Utica, AHL)
F Kole Lind (to Utica, AHL)
F Will Lockwood (to Utica, AHL)
D Josh Teves (to Utica, AHL)
D Jett Woo (to Utica, AHL)
G Jake Kielly (to Utica, AHL)

Washington Capitals (via team release):

F Shane Gersich (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
F Phillippe Maillet (to Hershey, AHL)
D Lucas Johansen (to Hershey, AHL)
D Paul Ladue (to Hershey, AHL)
D Cameron Schilling (to Hershey, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks Sign Will Lockwood, Marc Michaelis

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The Vancouver Canucks have convinced one of their most interesting draft picks to sign well ahead of the summer deadline. Will Lockwood, who could have become an unrestricted free agent in August, has signed a two-year entry-level contract. Lockwood recently finished his senior season at the University of Michigan. GM Jim Benning released a short statement on the forward:

Will is a hard-working, two-way winger with natural scoring ability. He plays with urgency and creates chances for himself and his teammates. We look forward to adding his speed and tenacity to our roster.

The Canucks have also landed college free agent Marc Michaelis, signing him to a one-year entry-level contract. Michaelis, 24, just ended his college career with an outstanding 44-point effort in his senior season at Minnesota State University-Mankato. The German-born forward is actually a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the best college hockey player in the nation. Benning also gave a short statement on the free agent signing:

Marc has exceptional offensive instincts and proven leadership. We look forward to adding his skill and play-making ability to the franchise.

Both players represent potential NHL talent for the Canucks, something that not every signing at this time of year can claim. Lockwood, drafted 64th overall in 2016, captained Michigan this year and has previously represented the United States at several international competitions. While he stands just 5’11” 172-lbs, there’s absolutely no quit in Lockwood’s game and he has proven willing to engage physically and battle in the corners when necessary. Just 21, he may be ticketed for the minor leagues to start his professional career but could very well push for a chance with the Canucks before long.

Michaelis is a very interesting prospect in his own right and has scored at basically every level. Starting in the German minor hockey system he was a star with Mannheim’s junior program before coming over to North America and producing in both the NAHL and USHL. Jumping to the college level didn’t slow him down, as Michaelis scored 36 points in 39 games as a freshman. His 162 points in 148 games for Minnesota State actually put him second on the school’s all-time scoring list, while his 71 goals put him first. Not only can he score at even-strength and on the powerplay, but Michaelis also set a school record with ten career shorthanded goals.

It’s hard to know if this kind of production will translate for the 5’11” forward, but betting against him hasn’t worked in the past. He’ll be 25 this summer, but already does have a taste of playing against professionals. In six games at last year’s World Championship, Michaelis scored twice.

Will Lockwood: “Goal Is To Still Play In Vancouver”

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Like every team in the league that has top prospects playing in college, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves hoping Will Lockwood will sign with them at some point before turning to unrestricted free agency. Lockwood already told the team he is returning to the University of Michigan for his senior season, and could potentially pick his professional destination by waiting until August 2020. Today however he gave Canucks’ fans a bit of hope when speaking on Sportsnet radio (via Rick Dhaliwal):

I talked with [Canucks’ GM Jim] Benning and [Utica Comets GM Ryan] Johnson, things don’t change for me, the goal is to still play in Vancouver at the end of next year. I also want to leave a little bit of a legacy in Michigan. 

The decision was more difficult than I thought but the Canucks were very understanding and didn’t force me and gave me the time.

Lockwood, 20, was the Canucks’ third round pick in 2016 and exploded offensively this season for Michigan, recording 31 points in 36 games. He trailed only Quinn Hughes in team scoring, a player the team hopes he will follow to Vancouver after next season. Hughes signed this year and jumped right into the lineup, something that Lockwood could do in order to burn a year of his entry-level deal next season.

Hughes is not the only college star finding success with Vancouver. The team has signed Adam Gaudette and Brock Boeser the past two springs and both are now key contributors in the forward group. The undersized but talented Lockwood could be next, though he’ll be closer to unrestricted free agency than either of them were. Boeser signed as a sophomore and Gaudette as a junior.

Snapshots: Elias, Hedman, Lockwood, Marino

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The New Jersey Devils will have a familiar face around the team as former Devils’ great Patrik Elias will be spending time with the John Hynes and the Devils’ coaching staff for the final week of the season, according to NHL.com’s Amanda Stein. The former star player is interested in coaching and wants spend time with the staff and gain experience with working on a coach’s schedule.

Elias, who played 1,240 games with the Devils over the course of his career, scored 408 goals and 1,025 points over that time. However, with his playing days over, he has shown more interest in coaching in the last year. Elias spent time with the Devils this summer and even asked Hynes about coaching the Czech National Team.

Stein says that Elias will be on the ice with the Devils during practice and sit through coaching meetings. He is also expected to be assigned certain duties for the remainder of the season.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are facing a scare as Victor Hedman left Saturday’s game during the second period. Evidently, the helmet of Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin hit Hedman on the chin accidentally and the Lightning announced that Hedman would not return to the game as a result of the incident. Any long-term loss could be devastating to a team that has been consistently dominant all season and can’t afford to be without their top defenseman for any extended period of time.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks prospect Will Lockwood will likely stay put and return to the University of Michigan. Lockwood, who just finished his junior year, had a breakout season with 16 goals and 31 points for the Wolverines. If Lockwood, the Canucks’ third-round pick from the 2016 draft, chooses to return to Michigan, he could play out his senior and opt to become a unrestricted free agent after that, free to sign with any team in the NHL.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes that the Edmonton Oilers might have a tough time signing their 2015 sixth-round pick John Marino, who just completed his junior season at Harvard. Unfortunately, because he played a season of USHL hockey, he could opt to become an unrestricted free agent now if he wants. The 21-year-old defenseman had three goals and 11 points for Harvard.

 

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