How Does London Do It?

[Donnie740]

I’ve never understood the ridiculous excuse for piss-poor mismanagement that junior teams need to have cyclical pattern of “going all in” for a championship run and then becoming a bottom feeder for a few years until they can rebuild for another “all in” season or two.

How is it possible that London never goes through years of being down-and-out bottom feeders?

In the past two decades, London has finished with more than 100 points TEN (10) times. In addition, they’ve finished with 99 points in THREE (3) other seasons.

There’s only been FOUR (4) times in the last 20 seasons that London finished with less than 92 points and “worst” season was 73 points.

London has NEVER missed the playoffs in the past 20 seasons and they’ve finished lower than 4th overall in their conference only twice in two decades. And they’ve been to the Memorial Cup FIVE (5) times during that span.

For those struggling with mathematical computations, London finishes first overall in their conference 50% of the time and goes to the Memorial Cup 25% of the time.

After the past two seasons of playing in the OHL finals followed by a Memorial Cup appearance, the “cyclical” theory would expect London to be bereft of draft picks and selling off what’s left of their 19 year old players.

But over the next two drafts, London still has THREE (3) second round picks and THREE (3) third round picks.

So how does London do it? Is Dale Hunter an exponentially superior coach? Is Mark Hunter an infinitely superior GM? Is it because they don’t have a clueless owner meddling in things?

Instead of foolishly overpaying for an overrated one-and-done 19 year old with a one dimensional game like Oshawa did, London spends their draft capital to acquire a 16 year old stud defenceman like Sam Dickinson followed by a similar trade the very next year for 17 year old Hank Brzustewicz.

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[Dhockey16]

The Hunters was the best thing that ever happened for the Knights and the best thing that ever happened to the Hunters. It was a great investment - London has all the built-in advantages as a market, and they opened a new building right around the time the Hunters bought the team. None of it works if Mark and Dale aren't good hockey minds, and they both are of course. They probably don't even have to pay players what other clubs would have to pay (they can and do still do this, as every club does). They have such a well-earned reputation for player development and winning that guys want to go there. The only near comparables really are Halifax and Quebec in the Q. Maybe Portland or Regina in the W. But London still the best of the best.

 

[Buttsy]

It’s certainly possible to duplicate the Knights model and actually Ottawa a few years ago I thought was on their way to doing it until the NHL scooped up there coach and some of the management team. The consistency of having Dale and Mark is definitely a key to the success of the team year in and year out. They are NHL calibre but Dale prefers the kids and being home and Mark understandably will only go if the situation is 125% his way. Also if one of them currently thinks he is worthy of a raise he just gives himself one?
I will say as a fan I think it’s kinda crappy when you see a kid who came into your city as a youngster develop and mature and then in his final season of Junior he gets traded for a boat load of draft picks and a player or two? Just seems a little shitty for the kid and the fans paying the bills? Would far rather see Easton Cowan, Oliver Bonk or Sam Dickenson leave for the NHL as a Knight.

 

[Generalsupdates]

It’s certainly possible to duplicate the Knights model and actually Ottawa a few years ago I thought was on their way to doing it until the NHL scooped up there coach and some of the management team. The consistency of having Dale and Mark is definitely a key to the success of the team year in and year out.

That's one of the hardest parts when you're not the top league and/or paying people the most money. The great young coaches/GMs leave for greener pastures like the NHL/AHL, etc. LDN got lucky with them doing that and not having success at the next level so coming back and dominating in the OHL and being okay with staying there for the rest of their career. Gives them stability and the same messaging year in and year out which is massive in this league

 

[RangerNation]

1. Knowledgeable people (hockey AND business)
2. Full Control over the team
3. Long term commitment.
= Profit & Success.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

The Hunters was the best thing that ever happened for the Knights and the best thing that ever happened to the Hunters. It was a great investment - London has all the built-in advantages as a market, and they opened a new building right around the time the Hunters bought the team. None of it works if Mark and Dale aren't good hockey minds, and they both are of course. They probably don't even have to pay players what other clubs would have to pay (they can and do still do this, as every club does). They have such a well-earned reputation for player development and winning that guys want to go there. The only near comparables really are Halifax and Quebec in the Q. Maybe Portland or Regina in the W. But London still the best of the best.

Regina??? lol huh? More like Kelowna.

 

[Buttsy]

The great young coaches/GMs leave for greener pastures like the NHL/AHL, etc.

The league is not just a development league for players. Coaches, Management and Officials are generally speaking here for development and moving on / up once they gain experience. And YES advantage London in not having to deal with this in the same way other teams do. Will say however Dale’s dabble in the NHL with Washington however IMO cost us a Memorial Cup but such is the case.

 

[OMG67]

You need to have “excess” that you trade to other teams that are less effective. London doesn’t need to sell “graduating” players to add future assets. They draft well and then trade younger excess players for extra picks. They then use their solid reputation and those excess picks to trade for additional 1st round defected players like HB and Dick.
They also have decades of relationships built in the hockey community where they always have high contributing Imports.
The main point has already been highlighted. You can’t have 20 OHL teams with career OHL management and coaching. The OHL is a development league for players AND management/coaches. The natural progression provides opportunity to move up. They do.
London is an outlier franchise where it isn’t fair to hold up against others as a comparable.
Teams generally don’t need to break themselves to compete. Teams can be competitive by slowly stockpiling assets and then leverage those assets in one season. Then the following season they can trade a player away and restock back to a respectable level. They isn’t a guarantee for them to “bottom out.”
Oshawa will make a run this year. They will trade Senneke next year and with the returning roster, they will still be competitive, make the playoffs and be entertaining for their fans.