London Knights 2023-2024 Season Thread (Part 6)

[Otto]

Knights have now tied the club record with 9 straight wins to start the playoffs ( 2005)

 

[Fergus31]

MVP of the game for knights is 100% Simpson. Wouldn't have won the game if it wasn't for him. Imo we didn't deserve to win the game but they guys dug deep and found a way to win

High leverage goalie, seemingly. Numerous key stops.

And with the 1-0 series lead, Kaleb Lawrence is guaranteed to play at least one more game as a Knight.

 

[LDN]

Yeah, it did kind of feel like a must win. Had London lost, you have to win 4/6 with 3 games a piece in each rink without Lawrence for 3 and potentially Edward and Leonard out indefinitely (speculation, not fact).

If things get real dicey on D, you could always put Sam O’Reilly back there. He used to be a D if I’m not mistaken and plays a very good 200ft game already on F. Would further weaken your F group though.

I like this idea! If needed

 

[TheOrangePylon]

Has anyone seen or heard an update on Leonard?

 

[nelli27]

One-timer velocity rankings:

1. Halttunen 94.2 mph
2. Ovechkin 92.7 mph
3. MacKinnon 91.5 mph
(these statistics courtesy of my imagination)

 

[zman77]

LEONARD OUT: London stalwart defenceman Jackson Edward was a surprising scratch because of personal reasons. That absence was magnified when fellow d-man Alec Leonard slammed hard into the end boards after getting tangled up with a Spirit forward and was forced to leave in the second period.
Knights coach Dale Hunter declared him day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Leonard wasn’t able to move one of his legs under his own power, but still declined a stretcher and departed with the assistance of teammate.

London Knights storm back, rip Game 1 away from Saginaw Spirit

A fortunate bounce and a skilled shooter made the difference for the London Knights on Friday night.

lfpress.com

 

[Fastpace]

Would have sucked if Saginaw came into our rink having just played Game 7 two nights earlier and taken the "W". No doubt this one is far from over BUT that was an important win in my books that we somewhat had to have. Well done boys dug deep and got past a hot goalie! 9W down 7W to go ......

I honestly think it's in the Dale Hunter and his staffs of not getting too high or too low culture(system), in other word, in their design.

Sometime getting too emotional can affect your plays, like holding on to your stick too tight when things are not working. In this game what we saw , was a gradual increase of game tempo by the Knights to the point in the end they were fully in control of the plays and the game, they've work from dropped of the puck with heavy hits and strong defensive plays and basically numbed their oppenents or hypnotised if you will, setting up for the third period comeback. We could pretty much tell it was just a matter of time for the Knights to start clicking offensively, they knew, just by the Spirits reactions on the ice, they were in control of the game. I am guessing the Knights were sensing things on the ice coming out of their opponents, sometime as players you can feel your opponents starting to slowly slip on their game. The Knights kept that pressure relentless, that caused Spirits to make mistakes, like that puck over the glass penalty. a break for the Knights, that led to their first goal. IMHO

 

[Ken Yates]

My observations on game 1. Simpson very steady. George will be a good NHLer. Gaz still playing hurt. Brz and Woolley filled in well. Well officiated game. Crowd was loud in third!!

 

[Fastpace]

Yeah, it did kind of feel like a must win. Had London lost, you have to win 4/6 with 3 games a piece in each rink without Lawrence for 3 and potentially Edward and Leonard out indefinitely (speculation, not fact).

If things get real dicey on D, you could always put Sam O’Reilly back there. He used to be a D if I’m not mistaken and plays a very good 200ft game already on F. Would further weaken your F group though.

I was laught at and mocked as well, for suggesting O'Reilly will be picked by an NHL team in the mid first round, I suggested between 10th and 20th. as of right now for North America the latest NHL ranking of all players has O'Reilly at numeber 24 spot. He is still playing with a strong valuable role on the Knights long playoffs run.

NHL Draft Prospects Rankings | NHL.com

Top prospects for the NHL Draft as ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

www.nhl.com

 

[Fastpace]

LEONARD OUT: London stalwart defenceman Jackson Edward was a surprising scratch because of personal reasons. That absence was magnified when fellow d-man Alec Leonard slammed hard into the end boards after getting tangled up with a Spirit forward and was forced to leave in the second period.
Knights coach Dale Hunter declared him day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Leonard wasn’t able to move one of his legs under his own power, but still declined a stretcher and departed with the assistance of teammate.

London Knights storm back, rip Game 1 away from Saginaw Spirit

A fortunate bounce and a skilled shooter made the difference for the London Knights on Friday night.

lfpress.com

He's a tough customer this Alec Leonard, as proud as hell too, showing big injury will not keep him down. What leaders are made of.

 

[Otto]

I was laught at and mocked as well, for suggesting O'Reilly will be picked by an NHL team in the mid first round, I suggested between 10th and 20th. as of right now for North America the latest NHL ranking of all players has O'Reilly at numeber 24 spot. He is still playing with a strong valuable role on the Knights long playoffs run.

NHL Draft Prospects Rankings | NHL.com

Top prospects for the NHL Draft as ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

www.nhl.com

So that puts him late 3rd round...

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Anyone know if Dionicio gets suspended for abuse of official at the end of the game?

I rewatched the end of game and he definitely through his broken stick at the official, should be an automatic game.

 

[dino200022]

Anyone know if Dionicio gets suspended for abuse of official at the end of the game?

Has to right? Threw his stick at the ref and pegged him right in the shinpad. Then picked it up and spiked it back into the ice well yelling at the ref. If Knights players are getting multiple games for just telling at the refs this one should be a big suspension. But when the guy who hands out suspensions son plays on your team I have a feeling this will be swept under the rug.

 

[Fastpace]

So that puts him late 3rd round...

We'll see

 

[ArielNederland]

They still haven't updated james Guo suspension. Still listed as indefinitely

 

[dino200022]

Huge game last night, the Knights physicality eventually wore the Spirit down. Bonk had to of played between 35 to 38 minutes last night and was on the ice for the last 6 mins of the game, unheralded star last night IMO.

Poor Leonard, was so excited for him to get his well deserved top 4 spot and was playing excellent before the unfortunate injury. Has to be an OA next season right?

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

The OA dilemma next year is real:

Leonard
Julien
Sim
Willmore
Gazizov (possible)
Edward (possible)

 

[dino200022]

The OA dilemma next year is real:

Leonard
Julien
Sim
Willmore
Gazizov (possible)
Edward (possible)

Leonard - yes
Julien - potential pro, but guaranteed a spot if not
Sim - fully expect to be back as an OA
Willmore - not good enough for an OA spot IMO, but the need might be there.
Gaz - do we waste both an OA and Import slot probably not, as I can't quite see Halts sticking in pro until he learns how to skate.
Edward - will have to choose ECHL or OHL

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Leonard - yes
Julien - potential pro, but guaranteed a spot if not
Sim - fully expect to be back as an OA
Willmore - not good enough for an OA spot IMO, but the need might be there.
Gaz - do we waste both an OA and Import slot probably not, as I can't quite see Halts sticking in pro until he learns how to skate.
Edward - will have to choose ECHL or OHL

That is completely accurate, Gaz and Willmore are the real question marks.

Edward’s if back trumps anyone

 

[ArielNederland]

Pat maroons son at development camp

 

[LDN]

I was laught at and mocked as well, for suggesting O'Reilly will be picked by an NHL team in the mid first round, I suggested between 10th and 20th. as of right now for North America the latest NHL ranking of all players has O'Reilly at numeber 24 spot. He is still playing with a strong valuable role on the Knights long playoffs run.

NHL Draft Prospects Rankings | NHL.com

Top prospects for the NHL Draft as ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.

www.nhl.com

I think he’ll be a 2nd/3rd rounder, but end up being a steal

Pat maroons son at development camp
View attachment 860489

The 08s are showing up eh?

Leonard - yes
Julien - potential pro, but guaranteed a spot if not
Sim - fully expect to be back as an OA
Willmore - not good enough for an OA spot IMO, but the need might be there.
Gaz - do we waste both an OA and Import slot probably not, as I can't quite see Halts sticking in pro until he learns how to skate.
Edward - will have to choose ECHL or OHL

OAs will be Leonard, Gaz and Willmore. I’d expect Sim to go pro. If not he’ll be a strong OA and likely bump Willmore, but then who is the starter?

 

[LDN]

Pat maroons son at development camp
View attachment 860489

Where is Gatto?

 

[Otto]

We'll see

Will we?

 

[Knights2729]

The OA's will be Leonard, Sim and Julien. Willmore will be also for the beginning of the season since you can carry 4 OA's until the end of December

 

[dino200022]

Anyone know if Dionicio gets suspended for abuse of official at the end of the game?

Has to right? Threw his stick and hit

I think he’ll be a 2nd/3rd rounder, but end up being a steal


The 08s are showing up eh?


OAs will be Leonard, Gaz and Willmore. I’d expect Sim to go pro. If not he’ll be a strong OA and likely bump Willmore, but then who is the starter?

The starter will be whoever the Hunters trade for....with Medvedev backing up.