The Bloomington Bison have officially announced the signing of forward Connor Lockhart and defenseman Wyatt McLeod to standard ECHL player contracts.
Originally chosen by the Vancouver Canucks as a sixth-round pick in 2021, Connor Lockhart became a free agent over a year ago when his signing rights lapsed on July 1, 2023. Lockhart was chosen by the Canucks in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL draft; however, he became a free agent in June when the Canucks opted not to offer him an entry-level contract.
In the 2022-23 season, the Kanata, Ontario native achieved 29 goals and 50 assists, placing second on the team with 79 points in 66 games with the Peterborough Petes. During their journey to an OHL championship, Lockhart recorded seven goals and nine assists (16 points) in 23 playoff games with the Petes. Lockhart amassed a total of 88 goals and 125 assists (213 points) over the course of 239 career OHL games.
Connor Lockhart had an outstanding season in his last year of the OHL, scoring 27 goals and providing 32 assists, resulting in a total of 59 points, all while achieving a +31 rating across 52 games played for both the Peterborough Petes and the Oshawa Generals. In the playoffs, Lockhart contributed nine goals and nine assists, accumulating 22 penalty minutes over 21 games with the Generals, ultimately ranking fourth on the team with 18 points in the postseason. Throughout the last two years, Lockhart has consistently surpassed a point per game, concluding his season with 52 points in 45 games for the Oshawa Generals after being traded from Peterborough earlier in the season.
In August, the Carolina Hurricanes revealed that Lockhart was chosen to participate in their regional rookie camp, part of the 2024 NHL Rookie Showcase organized by the Nashville Predators earlier this month. During that showcase, Lockhart assisted teammate Gleb Trikozov who made the goal on a power play rebounded shot, giving the Canes the lead and ultimately contributed to their victory over the Panthers with a score of 7-3.
Wyatt McLeod, a 24-year-old defenseman, played 16 games last season for the University of Alberta, scoring one goal and providing three assists (totaling four points) for the Golden Bears. Over his three years in college hockey, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound defenseman has tallied four goals and 31 assists (35 points) alongside 42 penalty minutes.
During the 2020-21 season, the Dawson Creek, British Columbia native participated in 15 ECHL games with the Utah Grizzlies, where he scored two goals and added two assists (four points) with a +3 rating. This followed a season in the WHL he recorded three goals, 12 assists, and a +8 rating in 24 games with the Saskatoon Blades, ranking second among defensemen on the team with 15 points.
Overall, McLeod has amassed 12 goals and 57 assists (69 points) along with 165 penalty minutes over 228 career WHL games with the Blades and the Edmonton Oil Kings, where he served as an alternate captain in his final two seasons.
The Bison are set to launch their inaugural season in the ECHL on October 12, 2024 against the Indy Fuel.
