London Knights 2023-2024 Season Thread (Part 8)

[rve24]

They've also had more:
1) Sanctions against them
2) Owners forced to sell the team
3) Rookies locked in bathrooms on buses
4) broomstick shoved up asses
5) Seasons out of the playoffs

And only in 1 year the last 12 or 13 seasons has the team won a PO rd. (unreal really and gotta be in bottom half of the league, just a guess)
2 reg seasons ahead of LK and 1 PO rd they went further than LK in same time frame lol. ( but did get a freebie to the dance.....)
Guess the goalposts have moved again for HL lol
Thought you only look forward, or at least posted that often during Windsors approx 10 years without a single PO rd win.

It's like me as a Habs fan........most Cups.....yippy, but none in 30 years, but 2 in last 40ish lol.

 

[dirty12]

One of the highest amounts of draft capital accumulated and putting it to use

Niagara and Brantford are the others in top three in that category.

A lot of picks held in the central between Barrie, Brampton, Niagara, and Sudbury. Brantford has a ridiculous amount of picks.

 

[Fergus31]

And only in 1 year the last 12 or 13 seasons has the team won a PO rd. (unreal really and gotta be in bottom half of the league, just a guess)
2 reg seasons ahead of LK and 1 PO rd they went further than LK in same time frame lol. ( but did get a freebie to the dance.....)
Guess the goalposts have moved again for HL lol
Thought you only look forward, or at least posted that often during Windsors approx 10 years without a single PO rd win.

It's like me as a Habs fan........most Cups.....yippy, but none in 30 years, but 2 in last 40ish lol.

I didn’t read the post because Kelso and a lot of Windsor fans just like their inferiority complex and trolling.

However, it is still a pretty unique accomplishment to have won 3/9 Memorial Cups. Don’t see that being matched any time soon. As Hockey Pops said, anything over .250 is a good winning percentage. To be batting .1000 in three tries is unheard of (a lot of luck involved too).

 

[Fastpace]

Oh FFS.... you cant let anybody have anything can you?

Ps. You should have read the sentence I didnt type...

Both sides are totally right, no argument here

 

[Fastpace]

The last two minutes of the Memorial Cup game, London in position of the puck in D-zone. Did not use the transition game to exit the puck, made an errant pass for an icing, failed to win the face-off on two separate occasions, and failed to match the Spirit intensity to win the puck battle in the D-zone. London seemed content to go in overtime, Spirit wanted to end it now. Saginaw were emotionally charged and motivated to end

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

One of the highest amounts of draft capital accumulated and putting it to use

Niagara and Brantford are the others in top three in that category.

I would think the Wolves must be in the Upper echelons now?

 

[Fastpace]

I would think the Wolves must be in the Upper echelons now?

Sudbury, is a weaker team now than they were at the end of the season, even with this trade, but they can do big things with the load of draft picks they've got from this trade that could greatly improve themselves with, that's for sure

 

[dirty12]

I would think the Wolves must be in the Upper echelons now?

After Brantford, there seven teams with fairly equal draft capital. Counting conditional picks from the Hague deal. The wolves have 7-2nds, 6-3rds, 4-4ths, 5-5ths over 4 years.
That is significantly less than Brantford, and about equal to or a bit better than Barrie, Brampton, Niagara, Petes, Kingston, and Windsor.

Sudbury, is a weaker team now than they were at the end of the season, even with this trade, but they can do big things with the load of draft picks they've got from this trade that could greatly improve themselves with, that's for sure

I really depends on if Musty and three best OAs for the team return to the wolves.

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

After Brantford, there seven teams with fairly equal draft capital. Counting conditional picks from the Hague deal. The wolves have 7-2nds, 6-3rds, 4-4ths, 5-5ths over 4 years.
That is significantly less than Brantford, and about equal to or a bit better than Barrie, Brampton, Niagara, Petes, Kingston, and Windsor.


I really depends on if Musty and three best OAs for the team return to the wolves.

Also, very slim chance but maybe Dvorsky returns…”so you say there’s a chance”.

 

[Fastpace]

After Brantford, there seven teams with fairly equal draft capital. Counting conditional picks from the Hague deal. The wolves have 7-2nds, 6-3rds, 4-4ths, 5-5ths over 4 years.
That is significantly less than Brantford, and about equal to or a bit better than Barrie, Brampton, Niagara, Petes, Kingston, and Windsor.


I really depends on if Musty and three best OAs for the team return to the wolves.

Oh, Sudbury! Will have a good team, even with Musty and three overages coming back, it won't put them at the top of the echelon, as previously stated

 

[dirty12]

Oh, Sudbury! Will have a good team, even with Musty and three overages coming back, it won't put them at the top of the echelon, as previously stated

The top of the eastern conference is going to be closer than many think, imo. I doubt there will be a clear favourite.

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Sudbury losing a lot of star power, last season was their year to try to go for it.... this yeas should be meddling in the middle again.

 

[Fergus31]

I have almost never been more certain that the line up looks something like this:

Barkey, Import (1), Cowan(2)
O'Rielly, Julien(OA), Nicholl
R.Boulton, Van Gorp, Johnston
Van Bommel, Bidgood, Arrowsmith
Hawery(3)

Dickinson, Bonk
Leonard (OA), Brzustewicz
Wooley, Ustinkov
Jenken, P.j. Fagan

Willmore (OA)
Medvedev

This year proved that if you are able to bring in talent organically (O'Rielly, Nicholl, Wooley etc) then you dont need to trade much. This year we picked up Simpson and KLAW for scraps and they were impact players, likely the same thing happens next year. We make a few trades to get a bit older and to give some players a chance as we are too young and talented at this point. We need to get older and a bit grittier on FWD. Should have the best 5 on the ice for a power play ala Mouse Jaw with:

Barkey O'Reilly Cowan
Bonk Dickinson

Notes:
(1) We should be looking at drafting two imports and getting one over this summer, it is imperative we get an impact player to replace Haltunnen. If Ustinkov stays in Switzerland then we have the space for two on FWD as deep is so deep already.

(2) Cowan needs to get bigger and stronger, nothing else keeping him from the NHL but there is no way he would get the same time and space and therefor I think he gets his full 9 games to test his weaknesses. Then returns as WJC captain, then Knights.

- On WJC topic we should be sending Cowan, Barkey, Bonk, Dickinson and HM O'Reilly/Brzustewicz as possible call ups.... HC is kinda a mess so maybe they dont see the value in pulling 4/5 from one team but they will be that good!

(3) Hawery sees like a player that can play now but why fix a perfect system... junior b like O'Reilly and Barkey.... did not hurt their development at all!

Defense will be as good if not better next year, George is ridiculously good but all others will improve.

Goaltending is fine if we have space for OA Willmore, if he falters at all (I think he will be really good) then go trade for Lalonde for a bug of used jock straps... there is no other player on saginaw i would want or need.

Barkey never played GOJHL. He was just criminally underused in year 1. Hawery being a first won’t spend time in GOJHL. He’ll be a Knight. Certainly should not be behind Van Bommel or Johnston either. And probably others.

The OA situation is very fluid at the moment but I think people are forgetting Wilson is a signed 18 year old. Medvedev was a high pick and is now 17. I love Willmore, but I don’t see room, especially if you can roster Julien, Leonard, Sim as OA’s. It is early.

 

[crowncarrier]

Barkey never played GOJHL. He was just criminally underused in year 1. Hawery being a first won’t spend time in GOJHL. He’ll be a Knight. Certainly should not be behind Van Bommel or Johnston either. And probably others.

The OA situation is very fluid at the moment but I think people are forgetting Wilson is a signed 18 year old. Medvedev was a high pick and is now 17. I love Willmore, but I don’t see room, especially if you can roster Julien, Leonard, Sim as OA’s. It is early.

Don't forget we can roster 4 OAs until January. There's time. But I agree there might be a log jam at OA. Look for the Knights to like move one or two as you never know Edward might also be in the picture depending how things go.

 

[dirty12]

Sudbury losing a lot of star power, last season was their year to try to go for it.... this yeas should be meddling in the middle again.

The wolves PP will suffer losing Dvorsky and Goyette. The team was not nearly equal to the sum of its’ parts. Not really surprising considering #1 centre, middle six winger, two goaltenders, three of the top four defensemen, and a few rotational players were not part of training camp.

As long as Musty and the expected OAs return, the wolves will middle without additions imo. If player agents like the coaching hire, the wolves will be in a tight race for the top four spots.
The import draft could make or break wannabe contenders in the eastern conference.

 

[Wifi]

Barkey never played GOJHL. He was just criminally underused in year 1. Hawery being a first won’t spend time in GOJHL. He’ll be a Knight. Certainly should not be behind Van Bommel or Johnston either. And probably others.

The OA situation is very fluid at the moment but I think people are forgetting Wilson is a signed 18 year old. Medvedev was a high pick and is now 17. I love Willmore, but I don’t see room, especially if you can roster Julien, Leonard, Sim as OA’s. It is early.

As for most seasons they will likely make a few trades before the start of the season to give some of the 18/19 y.o. players that are further down the lineup a chance on another team. Last year they moved out Crane, Humphrey, Paris, Levin, & Federkow for a 2nd (4)3rd's, 4th, 5th, 10th. I wouldn't expect that many moves but the more top players that come back the more depth players might get moved.

We can all agree that Medvedev is a lock, being a 2nd round pick last year, but if they are planning on being competitive again its very risky to use two goalies with little to no OHL experience. Willmore put up better numbers this year than the year when Flores was the backup and the knights got a 2nd and a 5th for him, so a trade may get a decent return. Time will tell but as you said, it will completely depend which OA's get sent back.

 

[Random2152]

The last two minutes of the Memorial Cup game, London in position of the puck in D-zone. Did not use the transition game to exit the puck, made an errant pass for an icing, failed to win the face-off on two separate occasions, and failed to match the Spirit intensity to win the puck battle in the D-zone. London seemed content to go in overtime, Spirit wanted to end it now. Saginaw were emotionally charged and motivated to end

Thank you. This was infuriating to watch.

ITS A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! YOU DON'T PLAY FOR OT!!! For all intents and purposes, at that point in the game you're already IN overtime.

Completely self inflicted loss for no good reason.

 

[Fastpace]

After Brantford, there seven teams with fairly equal draft capital. Counting conditional picks from the Hague deal. The wolves have 7-2nds, 6-3rds, 4-4ths, 5-5ths over 4 years.
That is significantly less than Brantford, and about equal to or a bit better than Barrie, Brampton, Niagara, Petes, Kingston, and Windsor.


I really depends on if Musty and three best OAs for the team return to the wolves.

Oh, really ! Tell us what Musty and best three OAs will do they couldn't do last year with top scorers on the team.

 

[dirty12]

Oh, really ! Tell us what Musty and best three OAs will do they couldn't do last year with top scorers on the team.

That would mean losing only two players to graduation that matter, by matter I mean entertainment value for those that like to see lots of goals and could care less who wins.
Aside from filling the net against weak teams and on the PP ...minus 10 for Goyette and -8 Dvorsky and -5 Musty in four playoff games vs NB. The big 3 should have had PP TOI only

 

[Knightsfan90]

Who have we signed from the past draft? I think only one right?

 

[ArielNederland]

Who have we signed from the past draft? I think only one right?

Correct. Not sure if there will be anymore signings.

 

[Knights Watcher]

The last two minutes of the Memorial Cup game, London in position of the puck in D-zone. Did not use the transition game to exit the puck, made an errant pass for an icing, failed to win the face-off on two separate occasions, and failed to match the Spirit intensity to win the puck battle in the D-zone. London seemed content to go in overtime, Spirit wanted to end it now. Saginaw were emotionally charged and motivated to end

Watch MM39 during that sequence. A comedy of errors that culminated with him deflecting what would have been a fairly routine save for Simpson between his legs and then swimming in the crease and actually knocking the puck into his own net.

 

[Fastpace]

I've said before, and I'll say again, after this spring adventure league fiasco, London is ready for a pro hockey team, as much as they love their London Knights, this junior organization has outgrown the amatureship of a junior league front office. It'll come, it's a matter of time

 

[Fergus31]

I’d support AHL if tickets weren’t so expensive. At the end of the day, player development is first and foremost with AHL and CHL. It’d have been nice to see London win a third cup, but it didn’t happen. Can’t cry now.
I don’t ever see AHL coming to London, anyway.

 

[Fastpace]

I’d support AHL if tickets weren’t so expensive. At the end of the day, player development is first and foremost with AHL and CHL. It’d have been nice to see London win a third cup, but it didn’t happen. Can’t cry now.
I don’t ever see AHL coming to London, anyway.

Good thing Ferguson Jenkins didn't say never, ever, isn't never.

Cheers! - and thanks for your input