Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

Will Lockwood talks World Junior Summer Showcase, sophomore season with Wolverines

Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

 

By @MichaelCaples –

PLYMOUTH – Will Lockwood hasn’t had to travel far for his hockey career, but he still cherishes return trips to Plymouth.

The Bloomfield Hills native is back in his old stomping grounds for a week, competing for a roster spot on USA Hockey’s World Junior team during the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase at the home of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

“It’s great – I missed this rink and missed the guys I used to play with so it’s good to be back and see some old faces and be back here in Plymouth,” said Lockwood, who suited up for the NTDP from 2014-16 before joining the University of Michigan.

Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

 

After two years with the NTDP, the Vancouver Canucks draftee is well-versed in representing his country on the international stage. The opportunity to participate in a World Junior evaluation camp was not lost on him, however.

“It’s something I’ve watched my entire life, so just to have the honor of making the camp is huge for me,” Lockwood said. “At this point, it’s just, for me, giving my best effort.”

Lockwood has been trying to heal a nagging shoulder injury he dealt with during his freshman season in Ann Arbor; he was in a yellow ‘no contact’ jersey for the first practice of the Summer Showcase.

“Throughout the season, it was something I battled with and I’m coming around the corner with it, so I’ll be ready to go full contact by the beginning of the season,” Lockwood said.

Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

 

Due to the healing process, development camp with the Canucks – Lockwood was a third-round pick in 2016 – consisted of learning from afar.

“I actually didn’t even bring my gear or anything,” Lockwood said. “I just kind of went and showed my face, met some of the new prospects, us and the old guys. We were up in Whistler, B.C., so it was a good spot. I had fun up there just being around the guys and the staff.”

That means some rust to knock off as compared to his peers on the ice at USA Hockey Arena. Lockwood admitted that there were some nerves when practice got underway.

“You’d see out there, me included, a lot of guys a little timid at first, but I think after the first couple of drills you get into the groove of things and the nerves go away.”

The Summer Showcase runs through Aug. 5. When that concludes, Lockwood’s attention will fully shift to his sophomore campaign with the Wolverines. He’s looking to build on a freshman season that saw him finish second on the team in scoring with 20 points.

“Year 1 was a little rough for our team; I’m real excited [for this season],” Lockwood said. “We’re getting some real good incoming recruits, some guys at the camp here like (fellow Summer Showcase attendees and NTDP alums) Josh Norris and Quinn Hughes, so getting those guys coming in for us is huge and we’re really looking forward to having them and getting Michigan hockey on the right track again.”

Lockwood said he and his Maize and Blue teammates are excited to play for their new head coach in Mel Pearson, as well.

“We’re all excited – he’s just the right guy,” Lockwood said. “It’s been a long time coming, so to have him as our head coach is going to be great for the team and the chemistry in the locker room and we’re really looking forward to having him and seeing how he can help us and how we can play for him.”