The knights game was Knight and day different from their last game. D was tighter and didn't allow as many scoring opportunities. I agree Medvedev is the future but I do not have an issue doing tandem with he and Willmore.
He's played one game with a depleted squad. Give it some time...Willmore has proven in the past he's good enough to hang with the Knights. But I'm not gonna lie....picking who stays and who goes is not going to be easy.
It’s hard to let go of Willmore’s experience, but who would you cut instead of him? Given the options and the depth of skates if you let one of them go, it’s just seems to make most sense. I wouldn’t want to be the one making the decision. But I’m curious who would you let go?
Nurmi will show more than Johnston as the year progresses, easily.
Like I said before it would be tough. But, if I wanted the most bang for my buck it would be Julien. Kid has great numbers, he's drafted, he's had some hype at times with his name so I think we would be able to get quite a bit in return for him and I think we'd still be as good. But, it depends on what they want to do. We need Leonard that's forsure. Before many posters were writing him off but he carries a ton of value. And if we decided to trade him I do not see a huge return for him like I see for Julien. You have to consider what makes you better now and in the future & what hurts you now if you take a certain player out. I just feel Julien can be replaced more then I see the other 3 being replaced within the group we have.
I thought that as well. Medvedev looked calm and collected, much better than Willmore and made the saves but the team in front of him allowed way less Grade A chances tonight too. A lot of London getting sticks in lanes and breaking up plays and a little of Flint not being able to finish. With a very small sample size he does look like he might be the guy though.
We hold onto Leonard until Bonk and Dickinson come back and then Leonard or Sim is moved but I think it’s Leonard.
Well thought out. I would actually be fine with that trade.
Just about a year ago, many Knights fans on these very pages had written London Knights off for the season just two months into it at the end of November. London did win the OHL Championship as top of the regular and playoffs at the end of the season. Kitchener Rangers, only 2 games in and still in September, we are reading similar words on these pages, let's just wait until their coaches have a chance to work their team in their system before writing this team out.
Difference is that we all knew that London had the roster to be great last season. Once you tune out the reactionaries, you understood they'd be fine. Kitchener doesn't have a great roster. It's got talent but they are young. They won't be 12-2 bad all the time but they aren't going to be real threat either. They can sneak into the playoffs but they're going to have some tough nights this year.
That is right, just look at the Rangers roster, I for one last year kept on defending London Knights against all the bad talking that was going on in these pages, I kept writing in my posts, "they will be fine" all through the season. I am going to state another comment right here. Based on the roster I've watched thus far and their talent on the ice, and any upcoming trade if any. "This Kitchener Rangers team will be just fine" this season
Kitchener is not fine they are rebuilding they have no great serviceable players right now at the ages of 18 and 19. They had 4 rookies on defence last night . Repkhof was traded for the right return for that rebuild and you will probably see a few more trades coming . Everyone is back from pro camp , so there is no help coming.
Year before was worse. 3/4 would have been shipped out and started from rock bottom if some had their way
To be fair Ellinas is a solid player, but that is about as far as it goes in players 18 and up. Andonovski is a serviceable D man that teams will covet at some point. But the cupboard is bare in 05's and 06's
Agree to Kitchener are rebuilding, however, disagree with no serviceable players on this year, check out their draftees on their roster. Kitchener has drafted really well they have great talent in progress as the season advance, this team will be stronger come February/March as these young players are getting more playing ice time, somewhat similar as London did last year. Not saying they will be as strong as London, but they will be a very good team near playoffs time. London with a depleted team lost 7-4 Friday night at home, same team with a rookie goalie went at it again last night playing the same team on the road, winning 5-2, that was just a sample of an abbreviation of Dale's system showing up last night with a very young lineup. Are you saying Kitchener can not do this once they put a system in play for all the players they drafted under the 5 rounds, may not be Dale's system but a system nevertheless for a spend of a full season? Don't take this team too lightly, as Flint found out last night, surprises could be in the making if you do.
This weekends games are relevant.
