Former Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart signs an NHL deal ahead of camp
Former Vancouver Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart has landed a professional tryout contract for upcoming rookie tournament.
In just over two weeks, prospects around the NHL will be gathering for rookie camps and tournaments before main training camps open roughly one week later.
For the Carolina Hurricanes, they're set to participate in a rookie tournament hosted by the Nashville Predators, and will also face the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. On Tuesday, the Hurricanes announced their roster for the rookie tournament and a familiar name to Vancouver Canucks fans was among those on the list.
Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff shared their rookie camp roster on social media yesterday which featured former Vancouver Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart. Also on Carolina's roster is 2023 first-rounder Bradly Nadeau and Skyler Brind'Amour, son of the Hurricanes' head coach, Rod.
Lockhart, 21, was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but went unsigned and became an unrestricted free agent. Last season, Lockhart played for the OHL's Peterborough Petes and Oshawa Generals where he put up 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists), 55 penalty minutes and was a plus-31.
If Lockhart is able to stand out at the rookie tournament for the Carolina Hurricanes next month, there's a good chance that the team could offer him an AHL contract to play for the Chicago Wolves.
As for the Vancouver Canucks' rookie tournament, it's set to be held from September 13th to 16th in Penticton, British Columbia where they'll take on the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver's roster for the rookie tournament will likely be released within the next week to ten days.
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Canucks should have signed Connor Lockhart to an ELC? | ||
| Yes | 25 | 26 % |
| No, was the right move not to sign him | 71 | 74 % |
| List of polls | ||
