Corey Locke

{{short description|Canadian professional ice hockey player|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Corey Locke 2012.jpg

| caption = Locke with Turun Palloseura in 2012

| image_size = 230px

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 9

|weight_lbs = 168

| shoots = Left

| position = Centre

Left wing

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|5|8|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

| career_start = 2004

| career_end = 2019

| draft = 113th overall

| draft_year = 2003

| draft_team = Montreal Canadiens

| played_for = Montreal Canadiens
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Turku TPS
Eisbären Berlin
Nürnberg Ice Tigers
EHC Visp
EC VSV
EHC Black Wings Linz
HC Dynamo Pardubice

}}

Corey Michael Locke (born May 8, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was selected in the fourth round, 113th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Locke also played for the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators.

Playing career

Locke played one season of junior A hockey with the Newmarket Hurricanes and was signed by the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Locke played three seasons in the OHL, winning the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's most outstanding player two years in a row. In 2003, his 151 points were the most in the CHL. During the 2002–2003 season, Locke and Matt Foy formed the most dangerous and dominant tandem in Ontario major junior hockey. Following this season, Locke was drafted 113th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He was returned to junior for the 2003–04 season.

On September 15, 2004, Locke signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens. He was then assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs for further development, and won the Calder Cup with the Bulldogs in the 2006–07 AHL season. After averaging almost a point per game in Hamilton, Locke made his NHL debut (and only NHL appearance of the season) in Montreal on January 8, 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gamecenter/recap/NHL_20080108_CHI@MON|title=Canadiens 4, Blackhawks 3 OT | work =CBS Sports | date = January 8, 2008 | access-date = May 11, 2010}}

In July 2008, Locke was traded by the Canadiens to the Minnesota Wild for Shawn Belle.{{cite web |url=http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=485548|title=Wild acquires center Corey Locke | publisher =Minnesota Wild | date = July 11, 2008 | access-date = May 11, 2010}} Unable to make the Wild's opening night roster for the 2008–09 season, he was reassigned to the Houston Aeros, leading the team to the West Conference finals with 23 points in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.aeros.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=2230|title=Houston Aeros 2008-09 season in review|publisher=Houston Aeros|date=June 17, 2009|access-date=May 11, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917215801/http://aeros.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=2230|archive-date=September 17, 2010|df=mdy-all}}

In 2009, Locke signed a one-year deal with the New York Rangers.{{cite web |url=http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=494020|title=Rangers agree to terms with free agent Locke | publisher =New York Rangers | date = July 3, 2009 | access-date = May 11, 2010}} He was then reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack to begin the 2009–10 season. On March 28, 2010, Locke was recalled to the NHL and made his Rangers debut in a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on March 30, 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gamecenter/recap/NHL_20100330_NYR@NYI?tag=pageRow;pageContainer|title=Rangers overcome deficit to beat Isles, stay in playoff pursuit | work =CBS Sports | date = March 30, 2010 | access-date = May 11, 2010}} After 3 games with the Blueshirts, Locke was returned to the AHL and finished the season with 85 points in 76 games to be named to the AHL Second All-Star Team.{{cite web |url=http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=523649|title=Locke named to AHL's Second All-Star Team | publisher =New York Rangers | date = April 1, 2010 | access-date = May 11, 2010}}

In 2010, Locke signed a two-year contract with the Ottawa Senators.{{cite web | url =http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326861 | title =Senators sign Locke to two-year, two-way contract | publisher =TSN | date =July 7, 2010 | access-date =July 7, 2010 | archive-date =October 11, 2012 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121011190938/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326861 | url-status =dead }} He recorded his first NHL point against the New York Islanders on January 13, 2011, when he assisted on a goal by Ottawa's Nick Foligno.{{cite news |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/long+last+over/4107275/story.html|title=Sens win, snap six-game skid in Lehner's first start| newspaper =Ottawa Citizen | date = January 14, 2011 | access-date = January 14, 2011}} Locke played the two seasons mainly with the Binghamton Senators. In 2011, he won the AHL MVP award, and the Senators won the AHL championship. Locke was injured for most of the 2011-12 season, and Binghamton failed to make the playoffs. At the end of the season, Locke was added to the Ottawa Senators roster, but did not play.

In 2012, Locke left the Senators to sign with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga. After scoring only five goals, and with TPS not in championship contention, Locke was moved in January 2013 to Berlin to join the Polar Bears of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, where he joined his former OHL teammate Matt Foy.

A free agent at the conclusion of the season in Germany, Locke returned to the American Hockey League, signing a one-year contract with the Chicago Wolves on July 31, 2013.{{cite web| url = http://www.chicagowolves.com/news/releases/item/3687-wolves-sign-former-ahl-mvp-corey-locke | title = Wolves sign former AHL MVP Corey Locke | publisher = Chicago Wolves | date = 2013-07-30 | access-date = 2013-07-30}}

In October 2014, Locke inked a deal with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.{{Cite web|title = Spielmacher Corey Locke kommt nach Nürnberg! {{!}} Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers Nürnberg|url = http://www.icetigers.de/content/spielmacher-corey-locke-kommt-nach-nuernberg|website = www.icetigers.de|access-date = 2016-02-14|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160223102511/http://www.icetigers.de/content/spielmacher-corey-locke-kommt-nach-nuernberg|archive-date = February 23, 2016|url-status = dead}}

On November 5, 2015, he was signed to a one-month contract by EHC Visp of the Swiss NLB.{{cite web| url = http://www.swisshockeynews.ch/index.php/switzerland/nlb-new/4799-ehc-visp-signs-canadian-forward-corey-locke-to-a-one-month-contract | title = Visp signs Canadian forward to one month contract | website = swisshockeynews.ch | date = 2015-11-05 | access-date = 2015-11-05}} Scoring a better than point-per-game average, Locke was secured for the remainder of the season with Visp.

On July 13, 2015, Locke continued his European career, agreeing to a one-year deal with Austrian outfit, EC VSV of the EBEL.{{cite web | url = http://www.ecvsv.at/vsv-und-corey-locke-einigen-sich-auf-ein-jahres-vertrag/ | title = VSV and Corey Locke agree to one year contract | publisher = EC VSV | date = 2015-07-13 | access-date = 2015-07-13 | language = German | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160809034739/http://www.ecvsv.at/vsv-und-corey-locke-einigen-sich-auf-ein-jahres-vertrag/ | archive-date = August 9, 2016 | url-status = dead }}

Personal

Locke was born in Newmarket, Ontario, north of Toronto, and maintains a residence there. He has a younger brother named Kyle.

Career statistics

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2000–01

| Newmarket Hurricanes

| OPJHL

| 49

| 33

| 50

| 83

| 18

| 16

| 10

| 12

| 22

| 14

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Ottawa 67's

| OHL

| 55

| 18

| 25

| 43

| 18

| 13

| 6

| 7

| 13

| 10

2002–03

| Ottawa 67's

| OHL

| 66

| 63

| 88

| 151

| 83

| 23

| 19

| 38

| 30

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003–04

| Ottawa 67's

| OHL

| 65

| 51

| 67

| 118

| 82

| 7

| 3

| 10

2004–05

| Hamilton Bulldogs

| AHL

| 78

| 16

| 27

| 43

| 20

| 4

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Hamilton Bulldogs

| AHL

| 77

| 19

| 40

| 59

| 67

| —

2006–07

| Hamilton Bulldogs

| AHL

| 80

| 20

| 35

| 55

| 54

| 22

| 10

| 12

| 22

| 10

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007–08

| Montreal Canadiens

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

2007–08

| Hamilton Bulldogs

| AHL

| 78

| 30

| 42

| 72

| 50

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Houston Aeros

| AHL

| 77

| 25

| 54

| 79

| 60

| 20

| 12

| 11

| 23

| 32

2009–10

| New York Rangers

| NHL

| 3

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Hartford Wolf Pack

| AHL

| 76

| 31

| 54

| 85

| 44

| —

2010–11

| Ottawa Senators

| NHL

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Binghamton Senators

| AHL

| 69

| 21

| 65

| 86

| 42

| 16

| 3

| 12

| 15

| 12

2011–12

| Binghamton Senators

| AHL

| 38

| 10

| 31

| 41

| 22

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| TPS

| SM-l

| 37

| 5

| 12

| 17

| 22

| —

2012–13

| Eisbären Berlin

| DEL

| 16

| 1

| 6

| 7

| 10

| 13

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 36

| 6

| 19

| 25

| 16

| —

2013–14

| Abbotsford Heat

| AHL

| 30

| 4

| 19

| 23

| 8

| 4

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Nürnberg Ice Tigers

| DEL

| 44

| 9

| 21

| 30

| 20

| 8

| 2

| 7

| 9

| 6

2015–16

| EHC Visp

| CHE.2

| 29

| 17

| 36

| 53

| 22

| 7

| 1

| 7

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| EC VSV

| AUT

| 52

| 12

| 64

| 76

| 24

| —

2017–18

| EHC Black Wings Linz

| AUT

| 54

| 23

| 47

| 70

| 34

| 12

| 1

| 9

| 10

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| EHC Black Wings Linz

| AUT

| 52

| 12

| 33

| 45

| 28

| 6

| 0

| 8

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | AHL totals

! 639

! 182

! 386

! 568

! 383

! 66

! 26

! 35

! 61

! 56

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 9

! 0

! 1

! 0

! —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | AUT totals

! 158

! 47

! 144

! 191

! 86

! 18

! 1

! 17

! 18

! 16

Awards and achievements

CHL

First Team All-Star - 2004
CHL Player of the Year - 2003
CHL Top Scorer Award - 2003
First Team All-Star - 2003

OHL

Red Tilson Trophy - 2004
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy - 2004
First Team All-Star - 2004
Red Tilson Trophy - 2003
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy - 2003
First Team All-Star - 2003

AHL

Calder Cup Champion - 2007, 2011
Second Team All-Star - 2010
Hamilton Bulldogs career points leader (229)
Hamilton Bulldogs career goals leader (85)
Hamilton Bulldogs career assists leader (144)
First All-Star Team - 2011{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408&t=mobile_news_article&bblh=other |title=2010-11 First and Second All-Stars named |publisher=American Hockey League |date=2011-03-31 |access-date=2011-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921025916/http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408%26t%3Dmobile_news_article%26bblh%3Dother |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |df=mdy }}
Les Cunningham Award - MVP 2011{{cite web| url = http://theahl.com/locke-voted-ahl-mvp-p170585 | title = Locke voted AHL MVP | publisher = American Hockey League | date = 2011-04-08 | access-date = 2011-04-08}}

Transactions

July 11, 2008 - Montreal Canadiens (NHL) traded Corey Locke to Minnesota Wild (NHL) for Shawn Belle.
July 3, 2009 - Signed as unrestricted free agent by the New York Rangers
July 7, 2010 - Signed as unrestricted free agent by the Ottawa Senators