London Knights 2020 Offseason Thread

[TheCoach]

Alex Vlasic
Vlasic is cousins with Marc-Edouard Vlasic of the San Jose Sharks and his sister Emma played at Yale University. He’s committed to Boston University for next season. His CHL rights are owned by the London Knights.
The reason why Vlasic is one of the more polarizing prospects in the draft is because he’s still quite raw which causes some inconsistencies both on the ice and how scouts see him developing. He can handle the puck well for a man his size, but he also makes mistakes in one-on-one situations and turns it over. He has good hockey sense and reads some plays very well, but other times struggles to pick up players.
He skates well, and is able to make outlet passes to exit his zone. He also is able to enter the zone on his own. He has a shot that can make him a weapon on the power play, but it’s not spectacular and may not be one to constantly beat goaltenders. He’s a very smart player in the offensive zone and is able to create chances for his teammates. He played forward up until age nine, so he had a chance to develop some puck skills.
2019 NHL Draft prospect profile: Alex Vlasic is one of the draft’s raw talents

If I was the Blackhawks I'd want him to sign and leave BU. He won't be able to develop properly playing the shorter schedule OHL schedule is better for his development imo.
I know Vlasic was focused on his Studies a few months ago.

 

[zman77]

 

[zman77]

If I was the Blackhawks I'd want him to sign and leave BU. He won't be able to develop properly playing the shorter schedule OHL schedule is better for his development imo.
I know Vlasic was focused on his Studies a few months ago.

Looking at Vlasic's stats ( 4 assists) at BU it appears he was the # 5-6 D-Man.
BU's Defence corp are quite young and perhaps he may feel he'll get a
better opportunity to play for the Knights.

 

[Buttsy]

Looking at Vlasic's stats ( 4 assists) at BU it appears he was the # 5-6 D-Man.
BU's Defence corp are quite young and perhaps he may feel he'll get a
better opportunity to play for the Knights.

Let’s hope so choosing the Knights as part of a players path to professional hockey is never a bad choice. Mark and Dales track record is undeniable hopefully him and his handlers agree!

 

[Buttsy]

I hope not. As the old saying goes if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

Sadly I think it is broke in some areas. The ability or non ability to play in the AHL is at first look great for the CHL clubs but with the Salary Cap having changed the NHL roster makeup drastically I think the NHL or CHL only rule is now hurting the CHL clubs. Need to have consistency with the other leagues (NCAA) for example or we will see a lot more players IMO choose the NCAA route until they have been drafted professionally. Then and only then will some of these kids choose to come to the CHL but normally only for 1 season. Just my opinion anyway.

 

[TheCoach]

Lots of good local talent in this draft
Like Hunter Haight ,Brady Stonehouse, Wyatt Adkins from the Chiefs

 

[TheCoach]

Brock has shared a mock draft

Has the knights taking

19-Andrew Leblanc
22-Max Namestnikov
25-Jackson Edward

 

[nelli27]

Brock has shared a mock draft

Has the knights taking

19-Andrew Leblanc
22-Max Namestnikov
25-Jackson Edward

USNDP has signed a number of high end talent as usual, e.g. Nazar, McGroarty, etc). That's usually a 2 yr commitment but Knights often select from this programme. It'll be interesting to see which teams snap up some of these kids and in what round.

 

[LDN]

FORWARD

Expect Evangelista to easily hit the 40 goal mark season next season 90-100 pts
" Stranges to lead the Knights in total over all points in his breakout year
" McMichael(if) is to push Stranges for total points with 120+ point season
" Moskal to have a big 70 or more point season as second line centre
" Guskov should be following Moskal very closely
" Panwar's breakout year playing Evangelista's minutes of last year 60-70 pts
" Rolofs will score goals this year 20-3o and at around the 60 point season
" McCue should be at where Stranges was this year around 40-50 pts season
" McGurn to take over Moskal's role as defensive forward against top players
" not much from draft pick forwards playing 4th line minutes on Dale's team
Our offense will be young but very talented and well spread out (looks very good)

DEFENSE

Expect Vlasic to be top Knights defender with 70+ point season (fill in for Merkley)
" Skinner to replace Regula's numbers at 50-60 points (not as many goals)
" Keane to have bigger role on second pair (more sinbox selective & mature)
" Steklov to also have a big role on the second pair maybe around 40 pts
" Montgomary will make the difference, he is the big dark horse (I like him)
" Roger to show more speed and a solid third line unit
" Knights to pick a high defenceman maybe first rd, second rounder for sure
Our defense will be much slower over all then last season, that can be a problem as I think in today's game speed is of the essential to be successful on offense and defense

Goaltender

Expect the same from Brochu following or surpassing Parsons numbers
" Onuska to be much better this year he will push and make Brochu better

Expect the Knights to be younger but more skillful next year and is to possibly finish in the top 4 again next year

By Fastpace!!

 

[TheCoach]

Wonder if Danny Weight is still is set on going to Boston College. Would be a nice add

 

[nelli27]

Wonder if Danny Weight is still is set on going to Boston College. Would be a nice add

Ah, good call! I forgot about Weight. He put up impressive numbers last season in Penticton (BCHL).

 

[Purple Phart]

One guy not mentioned, but possibly a dark horse candidate to make the roster, would be Chantler. I remember his call-up game this past season, when it seemed that most of the team has developed an immunity to the
physical type play. Chantler took his shifts and began playing the body on his forechecking, and that sort of inspired the rest of the team to follow suit. Sandpaper does have it's place, and even highly skilled teams need a player or two, who'll supply that element.

 

[nelli27]

One guy not mentioned, but possibly a dark horse candidate to make the roster, would be Chantler. I remember his call-up game this past season, when it seemed that most of the team has developed an immunity to the
physical type play. Chantler took his shifts and began playing the body on his forechecking, and that sort of inspired the rest of the team to follow suit. Sandpaper does have it's place, and even highly skilled teams need a player or two, who'll supply that element.

I thought about Chantler for the reason you mention, adding sandpaper, but I don't think he's in the mix because his skating is so poor. That's one of the things that stood out to me. I know you don't have to be a great skater to be a physical presence but when I saw him play I was even embarrassed by his choppy skating.

 

[DrummondIsGod]

FORWARD

Expect Evangelista to easily hit the 40 goal mark season next season 90-100 pts
" Stranges to lead the Knights in total over all points in his breakout year
" McMichael(if) is to push Stranges for total points with 120+ point season
" Moskal to have a big 70 or more point season as second line centre
" Guskov should be following Moskal very closely
" Panwar's breakout year playing Evangelista's minutes of last year 60-70 pts
" Rolofs will score goals this year 20-3o and at around the 60 point season
" McCue should be at where Stranges was this year around 40-50 pts season
" McGurn to take over Moskal's role as defensive forward against top players
" not much from draft pick forwards playing 4th line minutes on Dale's team
Our offense will be young but very talented and well spread out (looks very good)

DEFENSE

Expect Vlasic to be top Knights defender with 70+ point season (fill in for Merkley)
" Skinner to replace Regula's numbers at 50-60 points (not as many goals)
" Keane to have bigger role on second pair (more sinbox selective & mature)
" Steklov to also have a big role on the second pair maybe around 40 pts
" Montgomary will make the difference, he is the big dark horse (I like him)
" Roger to show more speed and a solid third line unit
" Knights to pick a high defenceman maybe first rd, second rounder for sure
Our defense will be much slower over all then last season, that can be a problem as I think in today's game speed is of the essential to be successful on offense and defense

Goaltender

Expect the same from Brochu following or surpassing Parsons numbers
" Onuska to be much better this year he will push and make Brochu better

Expect the Knights to be younger but more skillful next year and is to possibly finish in the top 4 again next year

By Fastpace!!

Vlasic isn't going to put up 70 points. Not an offensive dman. More of a Jarred Tinordi type. Going to be very strong defensively and on the PK. He can move pucks but isn't a big point guy.

Would love to see Moskal turn into a 70 point guy but I don't know if he has the skillset to be more than a 50 point guy. We will see.

I also see Rolofs taking a big step forward like Evangelista this year. He has the tools.

 

[Buttsy]

Looking back we took Gruden in the 5th round # 100 overall in 2016. We got one very solid season out of him. Was this good use of a 5th rounder 3-4 years ago?

Reason I ask is I think Gruden played his options well. He gets drafted out of the NCAA (I think?) so no restrictions on where he could have played after he was drafted. He comes to arguably the best place in hockey to develop a professional game. He gets the Hunter brothers for a year and now is as ready for the NHL / AHL as he can be.

Finally my point why doesn’t a talented US born player always go this route? I just feel like he saved all of his options and depending on his development could have skipped London if Ottawa had plans for him last season? Is this more the norm going forward for these kids? I almost think Fantilli might be doing the same thing? Thoughts?

 

[Buttsy]

Vlasic isn't going to put up 70 points. Not an offensive dman. More of a Jarred Tinordi type. Going to be very strong defensively and on the PK. He can move pucks but isn't a big point guy.

Would love to see Moskal turn into a 70 point guy but I don't know if he has the skillset to be more than a 50 point guy. We will see.

I also see Rolofs taking a big step forward like Evangelista this year. He has the tools.

Agree on Vlasic, agree on Moskal (50 is probably the ceiling) and maybe on Rolofs. We need him for sure to “jump to the front of the roster” badly.

 

[Buttsy]

Wonder if Danny Weight is still is set on going to Boston College. Would be a nice add

For sure he would be a huge “add”. Probably depends a little on when and to whom he gets drafted into the NHL. I think this is his draft year? If I was an NHL club and my pick was property of the London Knights there is no question where I would be encouraging him to play. It’s not even close as to which route is the best for a player wanting to play professional hockey. Sorry all you Knight haters but it’s a “Fact Jack”!!

 

[Buttsy]

Brock has shared a mock draft

Has the knights taking

19-Andrew Leblanc
22-Max Namestnikov
25-Jackson Edward

Gotta like the size of Jackson.

 

[Maxxim1]

 

[tjziel]

USNDP has signed a number of high end talent as usual, e.g. Nazar, McGroarty, etc). That's usually a 2 yr commitment but Knights often select from this programme. It'll be interesting to see which teams snap up some of these kids and in what round.

Since they have 3 second round picks, it wouldn’t surprise me they take a chance on McGroarty or Nazar in the second round with one of the three second round picks. But going off the history of the Knights management brass, they usually start drafting “flyers” or “high potential” in the 4th-5th round if they can help it.

*denotes had a committed to US College at the time of being drafted

2019 - Liam Gillmartin (4th round) USA
2018 - Avery Winslow (5th round) USA
2017 - *Alex Vlasic (4th round) USA
2017 - Hunter Skinner (5th round) USA
2016 - Alec Regula (4th round) USA
2016 - *Jonathan Gruden (5th round) USA
2015 - *Brady Tkachuk (4th round) USA
2015 - *Ian Blacker (5th round) CAN
2013 - *Matthew Tkachuk (4th round) USA
2013 - *Christian Evers (5th round) USA

Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner were also infamous of being a 4th and a 5th round pick. Only way Knights draft an American in the first or second round is if they are guaranteeing they will come. Ie Alex Broadhurst, Antonio Stranges, Max Jones, Ben Gleason, Andrew Perrott.

 

[nelli27]

Since they have 3 second round picks, it wouldn’t surprise me they take a chance on McGroarty or Nazar in the second round with one of the three second round picks. But going off the history of the Knights management brass, they usually start drafting “flyers” or “high potential” in the 4th-5th round if they can help it.

*denotes had a committed to US College at the time of being drafted

2019 - Liam Gillmartin (4th round) USA
2018 - Avery Winslow (5th round) USA
2017 - *Alex Vlasic (4th round) USA
2017 - Hunter Skinner (5th round) USA
2016 - Alec Regula (4th round) USA
2016 - *Jonathan Gruden (5th round) USA
2015 - *Brady Tkachuk (4th round) USA
2015 - *Ian Blacker (5th round) CAN
2013 - *Matthew Tkachuk (4th round) USA
2013 - *Christian Evers (5th round) USA

Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner were also infamous of being a 4th and a 5th round pick. Only way Knights draft

Picking Nazar or McGroarty in the 2nd Rd would definitely be a Hunteresque move, and that would involve the patience to wait 2 yrs before they can play in the O. Max Jones bolted Usndp after 1 year but that's more the exception than the rule.
I expect Hunter will continue to take flyers, not sure 'who' or what round.

 

[boknows]

FORWARD

Expect Evangelista to easily hit the 40 goal mark season next season 90-100 pts
" Stranges to lead the Knights in total over all points in his breakout year
" McMichael(if) is to push Stranges for total points with 120+ point season
" Moskal to have a big 70 or more point season as second line centre
" Guskov should be following Moskal very closely
" Panwar's breakout year playing Evangelista's minutes of last year 60-70 pts
" Rolofs will score goals this year 20-3o and at around the 60 point season
" McCue should be at where Stranges was this year around 40-50 pts season
" McGurn to take over Moskal's role as defensive forward against top players
" not much from draft pick forwards playing 4th line minutes on Dale's team
Our offense will be young but very talented and well spread out (looks very good)

DEFENSE

Expect Vlasic to be top Knights defender with 70+ point season (fill in for Merkley)
" Skinner to replace Regula's numbers at 50-60 points (not as many goals)
" Keane to have bigger role on second pair (more sinbox selective & mature)
" Steklov to also have a big role on the second pair maybe around 40 pts
" Montgomary will make the difference, he is the big dark horse (I like him)
" Roger to show more speed and a solid third line unit
" Knights to pick a high defenceman maybe first rd, second rounder for sure
Our defense will be much slower over all then last season, that can be a problem as I think in today's game speed is of the essential to be successful on offense and defense

Goaltender

Expect the same from Brochu following or surpassing Parsons numbers
" Onuska to be much better this year he will push and make Brochu better

Expect the Knights to be younger but more skillful next year and is to possibly finish in the top 4 again next year

By Fastpace!!

Good projections but you should include Mailloux in your defensive considerations. He put up a lot of points in Junior B and IMO deserves a spot on Knights.

 

[DrummondIsGod]

Looking back we took Gruden in the 5th round # 100 overall in 2016. We got one very solid season out of him. Was this good use of a 5th rounder 3-4 years ago?

I'll take one year of a player like him anyday with a 5th rounder. Very very underrated player. He would have been a big time player in the playoffs the way his game was developing and with his style of play. Look through previous years 5th rounds, lots of very average to below average players in that round as well as Ontario kids who never even made their teams. We have drafted too many very average players in that area of the draft in the last ten years so I will take an impact guy in that round even if it's just for one year.

 

[Snippit]

I'll take one year of a player like him anyday with a 5th rounder. Very very underrated player. He would have been a big time player in the playoffs the way his game was developing and with his style of play. Look through previous years 5th rounds, lots of very average to below average players in that round as well as Ontario kids who never even made their teams. We have drafted too many very average players in that area of the draft in the last ten years so I will take an impact guy in that round even if it's just for one year.

To phrase it in another way;

If you were a contender, would you trade a 5th to add Gruden to make a run?

 

[themelkman]

Is Alex Vlasic gonna come over to the OHL next year?