London Knights 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II

[rve24]

Man, hard to play the “what if” game but I still think about certain teams like 03/04 and 23/24. Definitely teams that were good enough to win Memorial Cups. Oh well.

03/04 was the one for me. Damm Dennis, Klein n Girardi and the rest of the Storm lol
It was a great run in our division for 5/6 years with those rivalries thru the 5 teams. Tough, spirited, skilled hockey.

 

[LDN]

Question for the group here. Is there a big strong 05 D that would be able to come back next year as an OA. Our next year OA crop looks light and we should continue to be competitive with O’Reilly, Nicholl, Brzustewicz and potentially Dickinson leading the way

Who fits that 05 that could come back next year criteria ?

 

[Fergus31]

03/04 was the one for me. Damm Dennis, Klein n Girardi and the rest of the Storm lol
It was a great run in our division for 5/6 years with those rivalries thru the 5 teams. Tough, spirited, skilled hockey.

Bois and Rediker missing the entire Guelph series was another factor. Schremp benched for large parts of the series because he shied away from the physical hockey that Guelph threw at them. Still almost pulled it off. Guelph had better goaltending than London that year, for sure.

As for 2005, people also need to consider that the team lost a number of their games when players were missing (WJC) and at the end of the regular season (meaningless). Even when Kitchener beat them in the playoffs, if you look at the gamesheet, London were missing a few guys due to injury. It was a stupid good team.

Question for the group here. Is there a big strong 05 D that would be able to come back next year as an OA. Our next year OA crop looks light and we should continue to be competitive with O’Reilly, Nicholl, Brzustewicz and potentially Dickinson leading the way

Who fits that 05 that could come back next year criteria ?

None come to mind. Maybe Will Bishop if Saginaw sells?

Looking more like next year is a retool/reload year with the glut of 05’s on the roster.

 

[All the Answers]

05 Andonovski could be had for Hawrey, but won't be back as an OA. As a Rangers fan I'd love it but no way it happens from either side.

 

[Fergus31]

05 Andonovski could be had for Hawrey, but won't be back as an OA. As a Rangers fan I'd love it but no way it happens from either side.

He’s a great player. Definitely jealous he’s a Ranger. He’d be just what the doctor ordered on London’s blueline.

Hawery, as you alluded to, very unlikely to be dealt for anyone. Not that London won’t trade a first round pick, but I believe they are much higher on Hawery than they were Testa, for example.

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

How bout we start counting the 2025 from yesterdays Guelph game when we officially had everyone back, would that be fair to compare to 2005?

 

[rve24]

How bout we start counting the 2025 from yesterdays Guelph game when we officially had everyone back, would that be fair to compare to 2005?

Now your going down the selective use of stats n timeliness path. Not for me.

I don't care about the first month. The greatest teams show their excellence come POs and National Tourney. I'll judge them head to head at that time.

For me thou the biggest factor is I can't see this LK squad beating 05 in a 7 game series. Maybe that changes thou.

 

[rve24]

Bois and Rediker missing the entire Guelph series was another factor. Schremp benched for large parts of the series because he shied away from the physical hockey that Guelph threw at them. Still almost pulled it off. Guelph had better goaltending than London that year, for sure.

Sat very near where Bois laid that hit in the corner thst got him ousted fir the next series. Unnecessary but ya play with what ya got.
Rediker was one I always felt for. Very impressive rookie D campaign. One of the best rookie D on an opponent I remember in that era. Was super impressed but injuries slowed development.

 

[EvenSteven]

He’s a great player. Definitely jealous he’s a Ranger. He’d be just what the doctor ordered on London’s blueline.

Hawery, as you alluded to, very unlikely to be dealt for anyone. Not that London won’t trade a first round pick, but I believe they are much higher on Hawery than they were Testa, for example.

Like London, the Rangers have an overloaded roster of OHL players. So I’m thinking that an Andonovski deal would be a picks only deal.

London has the picks (Jorian Donovan comparable) but I doubt Mark near empties his draft cupboard.

But if he thinks that there’s a chance Ando plays an OA season, he may do the deal at that cost.

Do I think he plays an OA season? Not really. I think the only way is if Ottawa / Brantford ownership orchestrate it as they did Hamara.

If Ando as a pro next year shows that he can’t play regular minutes as an AHL rookie, they may send him back. There are worse places to develop than London as an OA.

 

[Fergus31]

Like London, the Rangers have an overloaded roster of OHL players. So I’m thinking that an Andonovski deal would be a picks only deal.

London has the picks (Jorian Donovan comparable) but I doubt Mark near empties his draft cupboard.

But if he thinks that there’s a chance Ando plays an OA season, he may do the deal at that cost.

Do I think he plays an OA season? Not really. I think the only way is if Ottawa / Brantford ownership orchestrate it as they did Hamara.

If Ando as a pro next year shows that he can’t play regular minutes as an AHL rookie, they may send him back. There are worse places to develop other than London as an OA.

Yeah, I don’t see Ando back as an OA. Not impossible, but unlikely is what I would say.

Eh, not like London is overflowing with picks. They’re in decent shape I suppose but there are other clubs that have more to offer if we’re specifically using the Donovan deal as a reference point.

Over the next four drafts London have the following picks:

2nds - 3
3rds - 5
4ths - 5
5ths - 6
6ths - 4

London never fully empties the cupboard. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that any deal London would make for a d would likely consist of a young forward or two plus a 2nd and/or 3rd, depending on the caliber of player they’d be acquiring. At least, that’s how I view their situation.

Not that I wouldn’t love an Ando or Gibson caliber of talent, just not sure it’s something London would overpay for if the selling team is hellbent on getting a Donovan/Mintyukov type package of only picks.

 

[LDN]

Is the new D supposed to be the #3D? Bump who down?

 

[OnlyUpFromHere49]

Is the new D supposed to be the #3D? Bump who down?

You tell us… you asked the original question

 

[LDN]

You tell us… you asked the original question

Probably Woolley. Brz can’t leave the top 4

 

[tjziel]

Probably Woolley. Brz can’t leave the top 4

I could move Brz down to the 3rd pair if we were to get a shutdown RD like Andrew Gibson.

I love Brz’s offense but he defensive game needs some work still. Nothing he can’t improve but a big 6’4 RHD shutdown guy like Gibson is exactly what we need….

 

[All the Answers]

Probably Woolley. Brz can’t leave the top 4

Depends on the fish. A Gibson or Ando certainly moves Brz out of the top 3, but Brz would still get 2nd unit PP mins over Ando. I don't think it's a stretch to say Ando is better defensively than Dickinson, and possibly Bonk as well.

 

[crowncarrier]

Defense, is not close. Dickinson/Bonk (1st) are better than Syvret (3rd)/Methot (6th). Brzustewicz is as good as Girardi, Woolley is not yet as good as Rodney (we could use another stud 4D).

Goalie tandem of Dennis and Coleman vs. Elliot and Medvedev is too early to call but from what I have seen Elliot/ Coleman are comparable and Medvedev is projecting to be a top goalie in the league.

I could speak more on the other comments but these two paragraphs stick out the most.

First when comparing teams you have to compare what they did in junior. How they were drafted means nothing. There are guys that were top players in the OHL and still not get drafted high or not get drafted at all. 05's D was crazy well balanced. Dickinson is a Unicorn but besides him I'd take 05's. And Henry is not better then Girardi....Girardi was a huge part of the Knights playoff success....he was a WARRIOR.

As for the goalies Adam Dennis was an absolute stud in the OHL especially in the playoffs. He singlehandedly beat the Knight the year previous and that's why the Hunters went after him.


Elliott and Medvedev are question marks right now. Could they turn into a shutdown guy like Dennis....we do not know yet.

But saying Henry is better then Girardi at this present time is Bananas....IMO.

 

[rve24]

I could speak more on the other comments but these two paragraphs stick out the most.

First when comparing teams you have to compare what they did in junior. How they were drafted means nothing. There are guys that were top players in the OHL and still not get drafted high or not get drafted at all. 05's D was crazy well balanced. Dickinson is a Unicorn but besides him I'd take 05's. And Henry is not better then Girardi....Girardi was a huge part of the Knights playoff success....he was a WARRIOR.

As for the goalies Adam Dennis was an absolute stud in the OHL especially in the playoffs. He singlehandedly beat the Knight the year previous and that's why the Hunters went after him.


Elliott and Medvedev are question marks right now. Could they turn into a shutdown guy like Dennis....we do not know yet.

But saying Henry is better then Girardi at this present time is Bananas....IMO.

AINEC

Echoed a few of my points as well. Esp the part of where drafted means little.

 

[Fergus31]

I could speak more on the other comments but these two paragraphs stick out the most.

First when comparing teams you have to compare what they did in junior. How they were drafted means nothing. There are guys that were top players in the OHL and still not get drafted high or not get drafted at all. 05's D was crazy well balanced. Dickinson is a Unicorn but besides him I'd take 05's. And Henry is not better then Girardi....Girardi was a huge part of the Knights playoff success....he was a WARRIOR.

As for the goalies Adam Dennis was an absolute stud in the OHL especially in the playoffs. He singlehandedly beat the Knight the year previous and that's why the Hunters went after him.


Elliott and Medvedev are question marks right now. Could they turn into a shutdown guy like Dennis....we do not know yet.

But saying Henry is better then Girardi at this present time is Bananas....IMO.

Another thing to consider, London scored 310 goals in a defensive era in 2005. That was very difficult to do.

Younger players during that season would go on to be offensive players in the OHL. Players like Drummond, Kell, Foreman, Adam Perry. They were too young or had different roles that wouldn’t unseat Perry, Dylan, Bolland, Schremp, Fritsche, Prust.

On defence, people forget that Girardi was only acquired because of a season ending injury to Frank Rediker. Jeff Whitfiled also had a season ender shortly after Girardi was acquired. Their D in reality was Syvret, Rodney, Methot, Girardi, Rediker, Whitfield.

Goalies have been explained well. Adam Dennis is still my favouite Knights alumni netminder. So fun to watch.

A fun fact to that season: Ryan Callahan was almost acquired but he chose to stay in Guelph. London pivoted to Fritsche afterward.

So, although some didn’t have long NHL careers, at the major junior level, the team was crazy deep.