London Knights 2023-2024 Season Thread (Part 8)

[GangGreen]

I imagine at the very least Alec Leonard will be back as an OA next year to play in the top 4 D. Add in an import pick, or trade and the Knights D will be pretty good.

Ustinkov would have had to been released as soon as Gazizov and Haltunnen played a game for the Knights this past season, would he not? As neither import was an OA or a first round NHL pick?

As for prior Knight teams in the Memorial Cup, this one hurts the most. The Knights were the best team in the playoffs and the tournament. They just lost the wrong game. Kudos to Saginaw for making the adjustment. 2012 is a close 2nd, but the Knights also lost to Shawinigan in the RR, so easy to say Shawinigan was the better team that week. 2013 and 2014, the Knights couldn't load up like they did in 2012 at the deadline, so those teams were inferior to Halifax, Portland, Guelph and Edmonton. As for 2019, I still strongly feel that if the Knights had traded for Suzuki and Durzi instead of Hancock, they could have won the OHL and possibly the Memorial Cup that year. As it was, they were not a strong enough team to win. Suzuki was a beast that playoffs.

 

[OHL4Life]

From what I saw both are more than capable and Fagan Jenkin will push them hard for minutes. Defense is fine

you can have that opinion, but its just that, an opinion. no team with that level of experience on the back end should be confident until they see. windsor lived it, kids can struggle with more. london is not immune to it either.

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

you can have that opinion, but its just that, an opinion. no team with that level of experience on the back end should be confident until they see. windsor lived it, kids can struggle with more. london is not immune to it either.

I saw the knights play in 97 games, did not miss one. I was with the team in Saginaw. I get what you’re saying but these kids are future pros.

The knights won the league without making a trade and retaining all their young talent that were able to get minutes in a memorial cup. They will excel… Just my opinion

 

[ohloutsider]

I saw the knights play in 97 games, did not miss one. I was with the team in Saginaw. I get what you’re saying but these kids are future pros.

The knights won the league without making a trade and retaining all their young talent that were able to get minutes in a memorial cup. They will excel… Just my opinion

Well they did trade for Simpson. I think he helped their cause.

 

[OHL4Life]

I saw the knights play in 97 games, did not miss one. I was with the team in Saginaw. I get what you’re saying but these kids are future pros.

The knights won the league without making a trade and retaining all their young talent that were able to get minutes in a memorial cup. They will excel… Just my opinion

sure they could be, but it’s a smoke and potential until they prove it . they could be studs, but right now they are not

 

[Fastpace]

asking both woolley and Brzustewicz to play top 4, when they barely played, is hard. they averaged 10 and 9 minutes last year and im sure it was not high pressure minutes.

Woolley is your # 5 D next year, He needs more development, he will play top 4 minutes until about Christmas, then likely move to third pair duties with lots of penalty killing minutes, you want someone dependable killing penalties, he's your man. Brzustewicz will be your #3 in top four all season, moving him at forward did a whole lot for his development last season, he will progress as the season advance, and he'll be ready for big time minutes, London may pick up an experience D if their season looks promising by January's deadline. Leonard #4, played really well before his injury, but not sure if he's reached his cap or has more development room in him, will need to keep an eye on him. IMHO. Cheers!

 

[ArielNederland]

Can london declare hawery defective? Or are they not eligible? If not, I wonder what they could get for trading his rights

 

[Fergus31]

Some very homerish takes in here.

Paltry minutes in a week long tournament does not move the needle for current or future development.

Brzustewicz may develop into top 4 at some point. He has the higher upside compared to Woolley. It is very optimistic to assume Woolley will develop the way people assume in this thread. And we have no idea what Fagan and Jenken can do at the OHL level.

 

[Fergus31]

I imagine at the very least Alec Leonard will be back as an OA next year to play in the top 4 D. Add in an import pick, or trade and the Knights D will be pretty good.

Ustinkov would have had to been released as soon as Gazizov and Haltunnen played a game for the Knights this past season, would he not? As neither import was an OA or a first round NHL pick?

As for prior Knight teams in the Memorial Cup, this one hurts the most. The Knights were the best team in the playoffs and the tournament. They just lost the wrong game. Kudos to Saginaw for making the adjustment. 2012 is a close 2nd, but the Knights also lost to Shawinigan in the RR, so easy to say Shawinigan was the better team that week. 2013 and 2014, the Knights couldn't load up like they did in 2012 at the deadline, so those teams were inferior to Halifax, Portland, Guelph and Edmonton. As for 2019, I still strongly feel that if the Knights had traded for Suzuki and Durzi instead of Hancock, they could have won the OHL and possibly the Memorial Cup that year. As it was, they were not a strong enough team to win. Suzuki was a beast that playoffs.

I’m not sure London were more talented than Saginaw but winning 5/8 games against them in May/June shows they were at least with them.

Really sucks losing two Memorial Cup finals to host teams. I try to keep in mind that this is a development league first before winning, but losing still sucks. Dale and Mark will not make moves that mortgage the future. Maybe that hurts their Memorial Cup aspirations. I dunno. You only get so many cracks at it.

Depending how development goes this offseason into next season and Hagens’ status, I could see a good team or a rebuild year. Very early.

 

[Savard18]

I’m not sure London were more talented than Saginaw but winning 5/8 games against them in May/June shows they were at least with them.

Really sucks losing two Memorial Cup finals to host teams. I try to keep in mind that this is a development league first before winning, but losing still sucks. Dale and Mark will not make moves that mortgage the future. Maybe that hurts their Memorial Cup aspirations. I dunno. You only get so many cracks at it.

Depending how development goes this offseason into next season and Hagens’ status, I could see a good team or a rebuild year. Very early.

London lost a total of 3 games this post-season. Saginaw lost 5 to just London alone. London will be hanging 4 banners in their building this fall. Saginaw 2. I’d say London was clearly the better team.

 

[OHL4Life]

Can london declare hawery defective? Or are they not eligible? If not, I wonder what they could get for trading his rights

rthey have months to decide that. but I’d suggest waiting to see if he’s not signing before getting to worked up over it. I don’t believe they can trade him, which suggests they probably have a pretty good feel for things.

Some very homerish takes in here.

Paltry minutes in a week long tournament does not move the needle for current or future development.

Brzustewicz may develop into top 4 at some point. He has the higher upside compared to Woolley. It is very optimistic to assume Woolley will develop the way people assume in this thread. And we have no idea what Fagan and Jenken can do at the OHL level.

i think the d will get three, but Dale always says, and he’s right. A year older a year better. he won’t want to kids in his top 4.

 

[Fergus31]

London lost a total of 3 games this post-season. Saginaw lost 5 to just London alone. London will be hanging 4 banners in their building this fall. Saginaw 2. I’d say London was clearly the better team.

Semantics maybe but I did say talent and I think Saginaw had more of it on their roster.

Dale definitely got a lot out of his team with a 19-3 record in the postseason. It’s a shame the National Championship format is so flawed but that’s life.

 

[Fastpace]

I’m not sure London were more talented than Saginaw but winning 5/8 games against them in May/June shows they were at least with them.

Really sucks losing two Memorial Cup finals to host teams. I try to keep in mind that this is a development league first before winning, but losing still sucks. Dale and Mark will not make moves that mortgage the future. Maybe that hurts their Memorial Cup aspirations. I dunno. You only get so many cracks at it.

Depending how development goes this offseason into next season and Hagens’ status, I could see a good team or a rebuild year. Very early.

Excellent post!

 

[LDN]

May as well trade for Parekh lol

 

[frontsfan67]

May as well trade for Parekh lol

0 chance he goes to London. What do you think the package would look like?

 

[dmead]

0 chance he goes to London. What do you think the package would look like?

London sends Saginaw absolutely nothing, and Parekh stays the hell where he is.

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Parekh is definitely on the move and he has talent, I would think he commands an 08 plus picks. Hopefully he goes to the east.

I hope London gets some free additions from the import draft and signings from previous drafts. Ideally we only make a few tweaks, I could see going for Lalonde he was stellar.

We would need two big top 6 fwds if we are unlucky in returning players/imports… I would target Rehkopf and Romani

 

[Holden Caufield]

Who says you have to draft 2 imports? Could always trade for 1

Sounds like somebody might know something the rest of us do not…

 

[ohloutsider]

Parekh should be traded to Windsor! Imagine the pages and pages of posts after every London/ Windsor game, lol!

 

[frontsfan67]

Parekh should be traded to Windsor! Imagine the pages and pages of posts after every London/ Windsor game, lol!

And at the end of the day those same people are the ones asking for autographs! Lol

 

[Kingpin794]

Parekh is definitely on the move and he has talent, I would think he commands an 08 plus picks. Hopefully he goes to the east.

I hope London gets some free additions from the import draft and signings from previous drafts. Ideally we only make a few tweaks, I could see going for Lalonde he was stellar.

We would need two big top 6 fwds if we are unlucky in returning players/imports… I would target Rehkopf and Romani

I would be surprised if Parekh is moved this upcoming season. He’s not making the NHL before he’s 20. We can move him in his 19 year old season. There are other pieces that can be moved this year instead. However if someone comes with something too good to pass up, then we might move him early.

 

[crowncarrier]

I would be surprised if Parekh is moved this upcoming season. He’s not making the NHL before he’s 20. We can move him in his 19 year old season. There are other pieces that can be moved this year instead. However if someone comes with something too good to pass up, then we might move him early.

I agree...Saginaw still has some great young talent. With a couple moves you never know.

 

[LDN]

Return on Parekh would be insane, but worth it. I don’t see him playing his 19yr old season in the O

 

[rve24]

Return on Parekh would be insane, but worth it. I don’t see him playing his 19yr old season in the O

I do, unless he makes a huge improvement on D.
Where would he play pre OA year? Ineligible for AHL so it's the show or a 4th year in the O. He needs to make a big jump to leave after next year.

 

[frontsfan67]

I do, unless he makes a huge improvement on D.
Where would he play pre OA year? Ineligible for AHL so it's the show or a 4th year in the O. He needs to make a big jump to leave after next year.

With all the points he just put up and already won CHL DPOY at 17, pretty obvious he doesn’t need to work on his numbers.

Expect him to come in next year way better on the defensive side of the puck. Probably bulks up a bit too.