RW William Lockwood, Team USA
First on our list of World Juniors-bound players is Team USA’s right winger William Lockwood. He will be one of their key bottom-six wingers who gets lots of minutes on the penalty kill. Lockwood was on the third line with Trent Frederic (29th overall, 2016) and Hugh McGing (projected 2018) in the last game he played, but since then McGing has been cut and Frederic has been a healthy scratch.
Lockwood, the 6-foot-0, 173-pound Michigan native will be expected to use his speed and physicality to his full advantage on the forecheck. He plays much like former Canuck Jannick Hansen in that he works hard defensively as well in addition to his disruptive speed.
Lockwood has 11 points, four of them goals, in 16 contests for University of Michigan. Despite the injury he suffered against Belarus in the pre-tournament match, he is expected to be ready for the American side come Boxing Day.
Team USA opens up against Denmark on Boxing day, followed by Slovakia on the 28th. They will play an outdoor tilt against Canada on the 29th and wrap up their preliminary play against Finland on the 31st.
Others to watch on Team USA
LW Brady Tkachuk (6-foot-3, 196lbs)
The younger brother of Matthew Tkachuk and the son of Keith Tkachuk. Projected top-5/10 pick. He is his brother Matthew plus a bit more offensive talent.
D Quinn Hughes (5-foot-9, 168lbs)
The defenceman may be undersized but his playmaking ability and vision is superb. Teammate of Lockwood’s at U of Michigan, he is projected to be a top-10 pick like Tkachuk.