CANUCKS EXTEND WALKER, ADD LAPID AND BERARD TO ONE-YEAR AHL CONTRACTS

Abbotsford Canucks General Manager, Ryan Johnson, announced today that the club has signed forward Cooper Walker to a one-year AHL contract extension, as well as signed forwards Lee Lapid and Ben Berard to one-year AHL contracts ahead of the 2024-25 season. Walker, 22, began his first professional season in 2023-24 with the Canucks’ ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo Wings, recording 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) and 15 penalty minutes over 36 games. The 6-0, 174-pound centre made his AHL debut with Abbotsford on Jan. 27 and scored his first career AHL goal (and point) against recent Canucks’ free agent signing Jiří Patera at Henderson on March 8. He finished the 2023-24 campaign with Abbotsford, skating in 13 regular season games and three Calder Cup Playoff games. A native of Cambridge, Ontario, Walker originally joined the organization as an undrafted major junior free agent when he signed a one-year AHL contract with Abbotsford on May 18, 2023.

Lapid, 26, split his second professional campaign between the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones and SaiPa of Finland’s top league (Liiga) in 2023-24. Over the past two seasons, the 6-1, 201-pound centre has skated in 93 ECHL regular season games with Cincinnati, recording 69 points (21 goals, 48 assists) and 34 penalty minutes, as well as five points (one goal, four assists) and six penalty minutes over 11 postseason games. Prior to turning pro, the Thornhill, Ontario native spent four seasons with Canisius College (AHA), recording 61 points (30 goals, 31 assists) and 87 penalty minutes over 97 NCAA games.

Berard, 25, spent the entirety of his first full professional season in 2023-24 with the Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate Texas Stars. The 6-0, 192-pound winger recorded four points (one goal, three assists) and six penalty minutes over 30 regular season games, and also skated in seven Calder Cup playoff games for Texas. A native of Duncan, British Columbia, Berard spent three seasons with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings and served as the club’s captain during his final junior campaign in 2018-19. Before turning pro, he spent four seasons with Cornell University (ECAC), recording 68 points (32 goals, 36 assists) and 18 penalty minutes over 87 NCAA games.