The NHL lockout may have helped Montreal prospect Alex Galchenyuk improve his chances of earning a big-league spot in the very near future. "I think the lockout is definitely good for me because I missed a lot of games," he said referring to his injury-shortened 2011-12 campaign because of a knee injury. "I'm playing a lot of games here and getting a lot of ice time. I'm getting better and working on the things I need to improve." He was a participant at the U.S. junior camp and will probably represent the team at the world junior championship. For now, he is back with Sarnia in the OHL where he has racked up eight goals and 13 assists in 15 contests. If the lockout ends soon, Galchenyuk, is eligible to attend Canadiens training camp, but he still may be at least a year away from joining the NHL ranks.