Vancouver Canucks prospect ranking Top 20: #12 William Lockwood
By David Joun
If the Vancouver Canucks want to get this rebuild done the right way, they have to start with a strong pool of prospects.
The Vancouver Canucks need to draft well to be successful in their rebuild. Thanks to the scout-turned-general manager Jim Benning, drafting is no longer Vancouver’s Achilles tendon. That’s good news for the Canucks because they finally have a prospects pool that is worth ranking.
Drafting isn’t the end of the story, however. It is quite literally just the beginning for the majority of these prospects. If the Canucks want to get this rebuild done right, they need to develop their precious prospects well.
In the recent months following the Canucks’ full-hearted shift to a full-blown rebuild, fans saw that commitment in action. The two big trade deadline deals and the 2017 NHL Entry Draft gave this city a taste of the new Jim Benning, a new organizational mindset that put skill and speed before size and heart.
The Canucks have adopted a new mentality with their prospects so we are going to take a closer look at these young prospects. We present to you Week 2 of The Canuck Way 2017 Canucks Prospects Ranking.
The Canuck Way 2017 Canucks Prospects Ranking
Our TCW staff ranked all Canucks prospects. The criteria: whatever each writer thinks is important. Current position in the organization, talent, potential, and chance of NHL success. All prospects under 24 years of age were considered as long as they did not spend significant time in the NHL.
After looking at netminder Michael DiPietro yesterday, here is No. 12, speedy forward William Lockwood!
No. 12 F William Lockwood
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 172 lbs
DOB: 1998-06-20 (Age 19)
Drafted: 64th Overall, 2016 Entry Draft
2016-17 Stats: 30GP – 8G – 20PTS – 33PIM (NCAA, Michigan Wolverines)
An underrated NCAA prospect considered a reach pick in the third round, William Lockwood is a relatively unknown gem in the Canucks prospect system. He is built for today’s NHL. What does that mean? Find out for yourself.
Strengths: Speed & Tenacity
In today’s NHL, speed wins the cup. We saw it these past two years with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Speed creates turnovers. Speed gets by the defenders. Speed puts netminders out of position.
What scouts see in Lockwood’s game is much the same. Disruptive speed. Lockwood’s speed is indisputably a cut above everyone else in his age group. He uses it to his full advantage, using it to check, to score and to defend.
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I love to think of him as a bumblebee on skates, buzzing around the ice with endless energy and a workman-like mentality. Considering that his Michigan Wolverines squad wears black and yellow, I think it’s a fair analogy.
Even before he was drafted, Lockwood was known for his fearlessness. Lockwood is an ambitious checking forward. He hits above his weight class. As a guy who projected at the draft as a bottom-six winger material, that is a good trait for Lockwood to have.
In his draft+1 season, however, Lockwood’s offensive traits took a giant leap forward. Scouts always saw some finishing abilities in him, but the point totals weren’t there before.
Last season, Lockwood was just a point off the team lead in points despite having played five fewer games than the team leader. Among all freshmen NCAA players, Lockwood ranked seventh in points-per-game, ranking ahead of other prolific NHL prospects like Riley Tufte and Keiffer Bellows.
Weaknesses: Offensive & Physical limitations
Yes, Lockwood can score. Yes, Lockwood can hit. At the NCAA level, he has proven himself as a great combination of speed, checking, and scoring. But there are many reasons to believe that Lockwood won’t get far in the pro ranks.
Firstly, his offensive skills are limited. Though he is a great finisher even at a high tempo, he lacks the Hockey IQ for playmaking, meaning smart defenders can easily shut him down should they be fast enough to counter Lockwood.
That brings up the second point that Lockwood’s skating won’t be so exceptional at the pro ranks. There are many other players like him who make their living by their swiftness.
Finally, Lockwood’s love for hitting could backfire big time. Even if he puts on a dozen+ pounds and grows an inch, playing in the NHL as a grinder is not suitable for a guy like him.
Projection: 3rd Line Winger
All-in-all, Lockwood is similar to Jannik Hansen – a speedy grinder who doesn’t overwhelm with size but has underrated offensive capabilities, especially as a finisher. He works hard and is responsible defensively, which leads us to project him as a bonafide third-line winger with middle-six ceiling.
Next: Prospects Ranking Top 20 - #13 G Michael DiPietro
– 2017 TheCanuckWay Prospects Ranking Top 20 –
#13 – Michael DiPietro
#14 – Guillaume Brisebois
#15 – Evan McEneny
#16 – F Petrus Palmu
#17 – D Jack Rathbone
#18 – D Jalen Chatfield
#19 – F Cole Cassels
#20 – D Kristoffer Gunnarsson
The Honourable Mentions
Lockwood has many raw tools that he could develop to become a very serviceable NHL winger in a few years. He must watch out, however, that he doesn’t break his body down challenging players who are too big for him to handle. If his body breaks down before he reaches the NHL, the speed, the energy, the finishing flash… they will all be for naught.