London Knights 2023-24 Season Thread (Part One)

[Section5Petes]

Last years team is gone with some of their leaders, this is very early in a brand new season with new players added. Come back at the end of this season with your comparison it will be on more even term

I am not being negative. Im saying i still believe in this Knights teams and seeing them going far and winning it

 

[dmead]

Right now it seems the projections don’t make sense. Look at Pete’s and Rangers!


10-4…. Do you feel that only this year or other years as well?

I am cautiously optimistic every year until around the of january. That's when we see potential and that's when I buy in.

 

[Matt93]

4 out of 6 points this weekend and some fans want to blow the team up or call it a season. Knights fans are crazy. Can you imagine this board if they were not making the playoffs year after year like some teams?

 

[Holden Caufield]

This team needs a George Diaco type move. That brought offensive depth and really turned the tides last season.

We don’t need an all around 200 foot, top of the league player. This team is really good and does not need ‘saving’. We need a creative offensive player, with good hands, who can make plays.

I think giving O’Reilly a creative offensive mind to pair with on the second line would unlock him even more ! We saw what he did playing with Cowan a bit.

Another highly offensive imaginative forward would help give us a 2nd PP unit too.

Right now Barkey and Cowan are the only truly creative players. And they are pretty much locked to each other.

Haltunnen and Gaz can be highly dangerous offensive players. But they are more pure shooters.

Im not too worried about McCue. He is a man amongst boys physically and is definitely the perfect playoff type OHL player (as we saw last year).
He does need to be moved back to the wing though. Too much responsibilities at Center. At wing he can just focus on forechecking and driving the net…. Where his game really excels. It will be sorted out and McCue will be a big asset down the line.

 

[Section5Petes]

This team needs a George Diaco type move. That brought offensive depth and really turned the tides last season.

We don’t need an all around 200 foot, top of the league player. This team is really good and does not need ‘saving’. We need a creative offensive player, with good hands, who can make plays.

I think giving O’Reilly a creative offensive mind to pair with on the second line would unlock him even more ! We saw what he did playing with Cowan a bit.

Another highly offensive imaginative forward would help give us a 2nd PP unit too.

Right now Barkey and Cowan are the only truly creative players. And they are pretty much locked to each other.

Haltunnen and Gaz can be highly dangerous offensive players. But they are more pure shooters.

Im not too worried about McCue. He is a man amongst boys physically and is definitely the perfect playoff type OHL player (as we saw last year).
He does need to be moved back to the wing though. Too much responsibilities at Center. At wing he can just focus on forechecking and driving the net…. Where his game really excels.

And @LDN and I do believe that the George Diaco type was Connor Lockhart. Knights should have tried for Simpson and Lockhart in one deal

 

[Holden Caufield]

And @LDN and I do believe that the George Diaco type was Connor Lockhart. Knights should have tried for Simpson and Lockhart in one deal

He would have been a great fit. A guy like him could really unlock O’Reilly/Gazizov and be the puck handler on the 2nd PP unit.

To be clear, I do think this team is really close (as is).
Shaping up to be a great season in London.

 

[Starry Knight]

4 out of 6 points this weekend and some fans want to blow the team up or call it a season. Knights fans are crazy. Can you imagine this board if they were not making the playoffs year after year like some teams?

It's not the points that are causing the response, it's the manner that the games are playing out.

The Knights are really struggling to generate any interior offensive chances. The majority of shots are being taken from the perimeter and pose little threat to the opposing teams. There are two players that are generating offense: Barkey and Cowan--and it's mostly been off rush chances generated by their speed, not sustained pressure in the zone. O'Rielly and Nicholl have been good as 17 year olds, but O'Rielly--like Cowan--is mostly a rush player. Nicholl is one of the few players on the team that looks to carry the puck in the offensive zone (especially behind the net) to create offense. The older forwards on the team are not generating anything and I don't think their track records point to that changing any time soon.

The Owen Sound game this weekend was 100% stolen by Willmore.

The Knights were completely overmatched by Kitchener's forwards yesterday.

Defensively and in net they are top-tier contenders. Offensively, they're probably one of the weakest teams in the league and I don't think they have the picks to trade their way out of that. The only roster players that could move the needle for other teams is either Nicholl or O'Rielly, and then you're trading away two of the forwards on your team that are independently creating offence.

The Knights could probably make noise anyways in the playoffs, but there are a lot of holes to fix.

 

[LDN]

And @LDN and I do believe that the George Diaco type was Connor Lockhart. Knights should have tried for Simpson and Lockhart in one deal

That would have been a smart move Lockhart is a proven scorer. I know he would have improved our top 6 so much

 

[Petes1987]

Okay so if we don’t have the capital for the big fish can’t we get something done with Flint for Hayes? I feel like a player like that would create room for guys like Cowan and Barkey. Instantly make our top 6 good. What about Dubois from PBO for McCue + ? That would be a big faceoff winning centre.

What about Kressler for Mackinnon + and Hayes for the rest of our draft capital and Nicholl. Somehow get Konnor Smith from PBO for Leonard+, somehow get Crane into one of these deals.

Cowan-Dubois-Hayes
Barkey-Kressler-Halttunen
Gazizov-Julien-O’Reilly
R.Boulton-Sim-S.Boulton

George-Dickinson
Smith-Bonk
Edward-Brzustewicz

Simson
Willmore

Tell me if this is doable or just me being crazy?

If London was to trade all their assets this year they would have no 2nd or 3rd round draft picks until 2028. They would need to trade many of the veteran players next season to rebuild their assets.

 

[LDN]

If London was to trade all their assets this year they would have no 2nd or 3rd round draft picks until 2028. They would need to trade many of the veteran players next season to rebuild their assets.

I know that with the Hunters there’s no way we are completely ass

 

[superdee]

I am late to the party but Julien’s major/match was bullshit. Reikopf had a hold of him reefing on his neck pulling head down. So he cross checks him! Was it a cross check to the face? Attempt to injure? No it was sending a message to let go ffs. Two minutes and let’s play on. Reikopf should have gotten at least a minor for holding if you are calling that a major/match + 2 and ten for instigating the cross check. You could also throw in an Emmy or Oscar for the acting job as well. Some people need to chill on the trade front until Christmas break and then revisit it as sellers/buyers or stand pat.

 

[LDN]

Just FYI for Mark

Lockhart 11 points in 7 games
McCue 9 points in 12 games

Also Paris (and I know this is cause he gets ice time, but still 13 points in 14 games
Copeland not even in the league

 

[Frank the Skank]

Just FYI for Mark

Lockhart 11 points in 7 games
McCue 9 points in 12 games

Also Paris (and I know this is cause he gets ice time, but still 13 points in 14 games
Copeland not even in the league

Not sure he checks the boards. You should Phone him

 

[OhSheilaa]

If history has shown anything it's that the Knights may go through a temporary rough patch, but they are always competitive and will make any necessary adjustments to stay that way or be more competitive in the future.

 

[Wifi]

Is Mark working hard on Will Moore? He is looking good at the U17s

There is a slim chance we see him next year but likely not for 2 years. Most top end players play u17 & u18 before coming to the O. Max Jones is the only name that comes to mind of a higher end player coming after his u17 year. From London prospects at least...

 

[Rangers2022]

Right now it seems the projections don’t make sense. Look at Pete’s and Rangers!


10-4…. Do you feel that only this year or other years as well?

The Rangers coaching has made all the difference, I think we had a stronger lineup last year and finished 8th. I still think London will be one of the top teams, great defense and MVP goaltender.
Just wait and see it is still early.

 

[tjziel]

Hey Meghan Hunter, get Frank Nazar to sign an NHL contract, and bring him to the Knights

 

[LDN]

Hey Meghan Hunter, get Frank Nazar to sign an NHL contract, and bring him to the Knights

Amen. Let’s work our connections and make some shit happen here cause we need some high end talent

 

[Fastpace]

I am late to the party but Julien’s major/match was bullshit. Reikopf had a hold of him reefing on his neck pulling head down. So he cross checks him! Was it a cross check to the face? Attempt to injure? No it was sending a message to let go ffs. Two minutes and let’s play on. Reikopf should have gotten at least a minor for holding if you are calling that a major/match + 2 and ten for instigating the cross check. You could also throw in an Emmy or Oscar for the acting job as well. Some people need to chill on the trade front until Christmas break and then revisit it as sellers/buyers or stand pat.

Spoken like true bias fan, absolutely nothing the matter with that either ! Julien did not need his stick up to the man's head to send his message, instead he got a massage of his own from the refs and possibly will from the league as well

 

[RangerNation]

Spoken like true bias fan, absolutely nothing the matter with that either ! Julien did not need his stick up to the man's head to send his message, instead he got a massage of his own from the refs and possibly will from the league as well

Barkey was even on record defending Rehkopf lol

From Ryan's latest LFP article

"Rehkopf immediately grabbed his own head, but clearly wasn’t hurt on the play. He stayed on the ice and set up Matt Sop’s insurance goal with the man advantage.

“It’s just a hockey play,” Barkey said. “I know Carson really well and know he’s not that kind of player (to sell for a call). I don’t agree with it but we just have to move on.”

 

[Hendy]

The Rangers coaching has made all the difference, I think we had a stronger lineup last year and finished 8th. I still think London will be one of the top teams, great defense and MVP goaltender.
Just wait and see it is still early.

Agree, Kitchener massively under-performed last year and then surprised Windsor in the 1st round. This year they look like they should have looked last year.

 

[Frank the Skank]

 

[tjziel]

London doesn’t have a deep draft cupboard so the cheapest way to improve would be upgrades on import and OA’s.

You ready to trade us Filip Mesar??

 

[Fastpace]

It's an old cliche, and it shouldn't be use as a excuse but the Knights were playing a third game in three nights, they should have been well rest up since it was evening game. How ever you can over look the fact sleeping time could have been affected for some players and the Rangers had the extra day of rest. With this said, we can't take this game as a huge win for Kitchener over London, it wasn't exactly a huge blown out and despite the fatigue creating mental errors London did come out to play. Kitchener has a good team and have lots of young talented players, but also they only have one great line to really count on as well.

 

[Knights77]

This team needs a George Diaco type move. That brought offensive depth and really turned the tides last season.

We don’t need an all around 200 foot, top of the league player. This team is really good and does not need ‘saving’. We need a creative offensive player, with good hands, who can make plays.

I think giving O’Reilly a creative offensive mind to pair with on the second line would unlock him even more ! We saw what he did playing with Cowan a bit.

Another highly offensive imaginative forward would help give us a 2nd PP unit too.

Right now Barkey and Cowan are the only truly creative players. And they are pretty much locked to each other.

Haltunnen and Gaz can be highly dangerous offensive players. But they are more pure shooters.

Im not too worried about McCue. He is a man amongst boys physically and is definitely the perfect playoff type OHL player (as we saw last year).
He does need to be moved back to the wing though. Too much responsibilities at Center. At wing he can just focus on forechecking and driving the net…. Where his game really excels. It will be sorted out and McCue will be a big asset down the line.

Gaz is NOT a pure shooter. He should be but isn’t. Has a great shot but rarely uses it. He could be on a clear cut breakaway and still look for somebody to pass to.