The Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League announced today that forward Chaz Lucius underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season. Lucius’ surgery was successful, and he will recover fully.
Lucius, 19, was assigned to Portland by the Winnipeg Jets on January 9, 2023, after appearing in the 2023 World Junior Championship and making an immediate impact. The 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft played six games with 15 points (5G, 10A) before his injury and was named WHL player of the week for January 23-29, 2023.
The Winterhawks originally drafted Lucius in the fourth round of the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft and have maintained his playing rights.
Lucius has taken an interesting development path, unlike many others. He first went to the University of Minnesota for just one year before turning pro and joining the Manitoba Moose of the AHL at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. After just 12 games there (and a shoulder injury), he played seven games for the USA at the World Juniors; then, he played in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks.
Now with this injury, he will turn 20 in May; Lucius will more than likely return to the AHL next year instead of going back to junior as an overage player.
The Winterhawks, on the other hand, will now look to keep pace in the WHL with the Winnipeg Ice, Seattle Thunderbirds, Red Deer Rebels, and Kamloops Blazers in hopes of winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup as Western Hockey Leagues playoff champion later this season, no small feat after the loss of Lucius.
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