Nailers Spotlight: Connor Lockhart

Before coming into the professional ranks, Lockhart spent time in the OHL, playing for three teams: Erie Otters, Peterborough Petes, and Oshawa Generals. In his time spent in the OHL, he played in a total of 239 games and tallied 88 goals and 125 assists. Playing in junior leagues prepares players for the next step, whether it be college or the professional level. “I think just kind of being ready to adapt to new systems and stuff definitely made it easier. Missing training camp and coming here, obviously, I would have loved to be here for camp. I guess playing for a few teams in junior, it allows you to kind of step in and try and adapt as fast as possible. 
Obviously, learning a lot of new systems and structures and meeting a lot of the guys and the staff, so I feel like that made it a little easier for me.”

In Lockhart’s time with Peterbourgh Petes, he attributed the team’s success in the 2022-2023 season when they won the OHL J. Ross Robertson Cup. During that season, he wore the “A” for the team. He dressed in 66 regular-season games during that season and tallied 29 goals with 50 assists. During the postseason, he dressed in 23 postseason games and notched seven goals and nine assists. “I think there are a couple of things, just habits, at the rink, away from the rink, just recovering, eating healthy, and sleeping. 
Sounds cliché, but that's what makes big, maybe little steps over the course of a week, but through the course of a year, make a huge difference. And then just in terms of on the ice, we had such a close group that year. I feel like we kind of have a younger team here, but a lot of guys are already gelling, we're already getting close as a team, and that gives you more to play for on the ice. I think that's going to play a huge role throughout the course this year, and we'll only get closer.” In the 2023-2024 season, he played in seven games and tallied one goal and six assists. On November 3rd, 2023, Peterborough made a trade with the Oshawa Generals that allowed the Generals to acquire Lockhart. The Petes acquired the London Knights’ third-round pick for 2025 and Oshawa’s fifth-round choice in 2027. During Lockhart’s time with the Generals, he dressed in 45 games and tallied 26 goals and 26 assists.

Lockhart was drafted in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, during the sixth round, 178th overall. Being drafted is a dream for any player, but during a time of uncertainty for most players that year, it meant more. “Obviously, a unique situation. It was in the COVID year, so the draft was virtual, which was a little unfortunate. I kind of had an idea as to where I would have been picked, if I was going to be picked, and it was a weird year. The OHL season didn't happen, and I was hoping to go overseas in Europe, but hearing that the league was going to start up, I was kind of hesitant to go, and didn't end up even playing a game that year. I was very fortunate for Vancouver to take a chance on me. I was just watching the draft and the TV with family and friends, and to be called was super special. Phones started blowing up, and all my buddies were super happy, had a bunch of people over, and to get in contact with Vancouver and be a part of their organization for a few years was a blast and something I'll remember for a long time.”

Right before the start of the 2024-2025 season, Lockhart was signed to an ECHL contract with the inaugural team, Bloomington Bison. During his time with the Bison, he tallied 12 goals and 18 assists in 68 games played. Coming out of juniors and into the professional level, it provides a transitional period of learning and what to expect. “Out of Junior, I thought I had a pretty good junior career, at least the end of my junior career, and to be able to go to Bloomington, I was definitely appreciative of the opportunity there last year, but it was definitely a bit of a learning curve at the start of the year, a lot older, faster, stronger competition. After playing a year in this league, it's nice to know what to expect coming into this year. 
Just to have a great opportunity here in Wheeling and have the trust of the coaching staff and my teammates is awesome.”

Playing against many different teams throughout the season in the ECHL, teams and players come up against diverse defensive systems. Being a player who has come into the league, or a player who has been in the league for some time, there is adjusting that they have to do to their game to play the game with the outcome of a win. “I think it's just kind of versatility. I think the way we play is great. It gives players a lot of freedom with the puck and without the puck. They do expect a lot out of us, but I think realistically, the longer you're in a system, the easier it is to feel comfortable and the first week or a couple weeks, maybe it was a bit of a learning curve for me, trying to adapt, but I feel like every practice, I'm getting more comfortable, and that just comes with repetition. 
The coaching staff, as I said, has been unbelievable. You know, lots of trust in me, and that's all you can ask for as a player. I think it just comes with repetition, but I can hold myself to is just hard work and a positive attitude. 
The comfort will work on itself as time goes on.”

Summers are a time for unwinding from the season behind, but also to work on the upcoming season. Summer training includes working on skills that are strengths, but also sharpening skills that are needed. “I work out during the week with my trainer, and I'm on the ice pretty often during the week, but as the summer goes on and you get closer to training camp, you start to ramp it up a little bit more on the ice. 
Earlier in the summer, lots of strength, heavy lifting, but as it gets, August, September, that's when you start to put a bit more conditioning in and explosive work. I've always taken pride in the summers of training, and we got a great group back home in Ottawa, lots of competitive pro players, NHL guys, pros, so it's a competitive environment. Everyone's looking to get better, but just spending lots of time in the gym and on the ice. Taking advantage of time with family and friends, golfing, going to cottages, that kind of stuff, but it's good to get that balance, because when you come here during the year, you don't really get that much of a balance.”

Playing hockey throughout the lifespan, players have many coaches and mentors who give good advice that they carry with them throughout the years. Being a good teammate is something that Lockhart carries with him throughout the years. “There's lots of good advice I've gotten, but I think the most important thing is just to try to be the best teammate you can be. 
Ultimately, that leads to trust from the coaching staff, but gets you closer with the team, and if a team's bringing you in, they like you as a player; they wouldn't bring you in if they didn't like you. They want to get to know the person a little bit more, and the better person you are, you know, the better your habits are going to be, and the better your work ethic is going to be. I think that all just kind of complements each other.”

For Lockhart, playing with any player would come at the NHL level, “I would say probably Nikita Kucherov. I think he's the most exciting player to watch in the NHL, especially on the power play. 
He just makes the hard plays look easy, and I feel like that's a guy, if there's a guy that can find you in the pockets, probably him, so he can do all the difficult work and make his linemates the beneficiaries of the goals and assists and stuff. So it'd be pretty cool. He's pretty smooth.” On October 23rd, 2025, Lockhart was signed to an AHL contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. During this season with the Wheeling Nailers, Lockhart has played in 34 games and has tallied nine goals and 15 assists. He is the third player this season on the Nailers to hit his 100th professional game, coming behind his teammates Ryan Mahshie and Mathieu De. St Phalle.

- Samantha Wismer/Olde City Sports Network

- Photo Credit: Stacey Gramlich/Olde City Sports Network