London Knights 2024-25 Season Thread, Part IV

[LDN]

I think they are...they were even sent out a few times against Windsor's 2nd line in the second period.

Dales 4th lines in big/tight games usually get 2 -1st period shifts, 1 maybe 2 2nd period shifts, 0 3rd period shifts. Maybe have them out for 5 shifts the whole game.

This year they seem to be getting closer to 8-10 shifts a game.

This years 4th line has some solid skill for sure. Happy Dale is using them. EVG will likely be a top 6 guy next season, same with Hawery.

I’d say the top 6 locks for next year are O’Reilly, EVG, Nicholl and Hawery

 

[dino200022]

This years 4th line has some solid skill for sure. Happy Dale is using them. EVG will likely be a top 6 guy next season, same with Hawery.

I’d say the top 6 locks for next year are O’Reilly, EVG, Nicholl and Hawery

Absolutely, and our OA cupboard will be bare so I expect them to make a few deals.

Offense could be a struggle next year, luckily we should have elite goal tending and a solid D core.

Guys like Read, Mews, Gerber all going to be in the mix next year looking for some top 9 minutes if they can produce some offense. Although I really am liking the way Van Bommel has come along, I think he could be looking at a Julien-esque type of 19 year old season!

 

[TheOrangePylon]

Absolutely, and our OA cupboard will be bare so I expect them to make a few deals.

Offense could be a struggle next year, luckily we should have elite goal tending and a solid D core.

Guys like Read, Mews, Gerber all going to be in the mix next year looking for some top 9 minutes if they can produce some offense. Although I really am liking the way Van Bommel has come along, I think he could be looking at a Julien-esque type of 19 year old season!

The way Aboflan has been playing, I would bring him back as OA. But still 2 spots to fill after that because I don't see any of the other 19 year olds coming back.

 

[frontsfan67]

Can't imagine why the kid who nearly made the Leafs at 18 was being hyped to make the Leafs at 19 after an MVP season.
I'm sorry you think Cowan shouldn't have won MVP. You're wrong.

And for the record, Cowan was the best Canadian forward at the worlds.

We get you are both a knights fan and a leaf fan, but you are delusional. Just because he had the most points(tied btw and still 3 in 5) doesn’t mean he was the most effective. Yager the captain probably was the best if anything (defensive forward too) or nadeau who was the only guy who scored twice. but the whole tournament and team was a big let down- even Mckenna who had 1 point was a let down. Schaefer was 1 off the point lead for Canada despite playing 1 game as a 17 year old d man. (1G, 1A)

Anyways it doesn’t matter anymore because people need to put it in the rear view mirror they’re still young and developing- if there is anyone to blame it is the coach. Second half the season now though in the OHL if anyone’s still mulling over team Canadas loss then they need to give their head a shake.

Hopefully for Cowans sake he picks it up in the second half of the season and has a big playoffs because if he plays like he has so far in the first half and at the world juniors he may be back as a 19 year old (which would be great for you guys obviously)

Excited to see how Brz does tonight.

Also pretty crazy how good of a year Medvedev is having and is now the #1 ranked goalie in the OHL over Ivankovic. Don't think anyone saw that coming into this season.

 

[LDN]

The way Aboflan has been playing, I would bring him back as OA. But still 2 spots to fill after that because I don't see any of the other 19 year olds coming back.

Aboflan has earned a shot at that OA spot for sure! He is a solid guy!

 

[dino200022]

We get you are both a knights fan and a leaf fan, but you are delusional. Just because he had the most points(tied btw and still 3 in 5) doesn’t mean he was the most effective. Yager the captain probably was the best if anything (defensive forward too) or nadeau who was the only guy who scored twice. but the whole tournament and team was a big let down- even Mckenna who had 1 point was a let down. Schaefer was 1 off the point lead for Canada despite playing 1 game as a 17 year old d man. (1G, 1A)

Anyways it doesn’t matter anymore because people need to put it in the rear view mirror they’re still young and developing- if there is anyone to blame it is the coach. Second half the season now though in the OHL if anyone’s still mulling over team Canadas loss then they need to give their head a shake.

Hopefully for Cowans sake he picks it up in the second half of the season and has a big playoffs because if he plays like he has so far in the first half and at the world juniors he may be back as a 19 year old (which would be great for you guys obviously)

Excited to see how Brz does tonight.

Also pretty crazy how good of a year Medvedev is having and is now the #1 ranked goalie in the OHL over Ivankovic. Don't think anyone saw that coming into this season.

Brz is hit or miss for me, but the potential is certainly there. He seems to rush the play and make some "bone headed" plays. But their are some nights where he is skating the puck through the zones with ease and playing some very good hockey. The potential is there, next year he will be given the reins.

I knew from preseason Medvedev was going to be good, but sure as heck did not see him being great. He was very good laterally early on but had some troubles making some big boy saves off of big boy shots. But now he has that part figured out he is a dominate goalie in this league on a nightly basis. Certainly did not see this much progression this quick!

 

[rve24]

The way Aboflan has been playing, I would bring him back as OA. But still 2 spots to fill after that because I don't see any of the other 19 year olds coming back.

He's earned a shot for sure and over the last couple years has had a good development curve. He will get a chance for sure and rightfully so.

 

[rve24]

4th line usage in recent years......I agree very limited at times. but this staff has always adapted to specific situations n circumstances.
Years ago Tierney, Horvat n Anderson? Played a big role as 2 rookies and Tieney a 2nd year player (fans were hard on) on a 4th line.
Another year it was their 4th line, 1st game against KTown in the POs, 1st period, 1st shift they had, that had such a dominating, physical shift at that time that we looked at each other in our section and said that's it, they just took the opponents will away, series over.

Almost every team does it, you can get away with playing your top 9 n 4 much more often in Junior. It's not unique to LK. You can wear teams down physically, with superior talent, or impose your will on an opponent but ya don't need 12 strong Fs to do it.
I'll admit thou I love watching a team roll 4 lines but it's just not a regular part of the game now even in reg season. Pros or Jr really.

 

[LDN]

Medsy and Brz looking pretty good so far in the top prospects game. Cool opportunity!

 

[Holden Caufield]

Why are over aged players in the top prospects game?

If scouts wanted to see 17 year olds mixed in with 19/20 year olds, could’t they just go to any of the 100’s of OHL regular season games ?

Jelsma is so old he isn’t even eligible for the draft. He will be an NHL free agent.

 

[crowncarrier]

Why are over aged players in the top prospects game?

If scouts wanted to see 17 year olds mixed in with 19/20 year olds, could’t they just go to any of the 100’s of OHL regular season games ?

Jelsma is so old he isn’t even eligible for the draft. He will be an NHL free agent.

From what I've read The NHLs draft max age is 20 for NA players and 21 for Imports. So as long as they fall under that category they are fine. But Jelsma like you mentioned should not be playing.

I always thought this game was for draft eligible players for the upcoming NHL draft.

 

[Random2152]

No shit, If that was what the conversation was about then I'd agree but it has nothing to do with rating players, the conversation was about how hyped he was going in, and the fact he had his own markets tells you he was being pushed very hard.

If you honestly think Cowan was the best forward than idk what to say because it's clear there's an eyesight problem here.

He isn't being pushed. He's been good and getting praise for it. This happens for all teams, but people only freak out when it happens to Leafs. Net, he is accurately rated, although I think if you include fan sentiment in that he is becoming underrated again quickly.
I'm sorry you can't see Cowan's value. He was all over the puck trying things all game with no outlets. There is a reason he was seeing so much screen time

Canada's Best forward at the Juniors??? I am sorry I can't have a discussion with you after that comment as it is clear hockey is not really your forte to say it nicely. Cowan simply fit it at best.

Lets make a list of forwards who played better:
McKenna, Catton, Nadeau, Pinelli, Howe, Ritchie....

With that being said, he is playing well here in London so I really do not care haha.

Yes he was. Catton is close with flaws (although everyone on the roster this year was flawed) but the other guys were not better. You putting Howe here is hilarious.

He is playing consistently solid, but he’s not dominating as one would expect a player to after last season

I agree actually. Thought the same last year too (although to a lesser extent). I wanted to see him take over most games in a way he hasn't done consistently. Him not doing so is my biggest asterisk on the player right now. I think he has the ability to do it so I'm not sure what the hang up is. Its a big reason I think he will need AHL time next year. Kill some JR habits, and really start to ramp up to the mens game

We get you are both a knights fan and a leaf fan, but you are delusional. Just because he had the most points(tied btw and still 3 in 5) doesn’t mean he was the most effective. Yager the captain probably was the best if anything (defensive forward too) or nadeau who was the only guy who scored twice. but the whole tournament and team was a big let down- even Mckenna who had 1 point was a let down. Schaefer was 1 off the point lead for Canada despite playing 1 game as a 17 year old d man. (1G, 1A)

Anyways it doesn’t matter anymore because people need to put it in the rear view mirror they’re still young and developing- if there is anyone to blame it is the coach. Second half the season now though in the OHL if anyone’s still mulling over team Canadas loss then they need to give their head a shake.

Hopefully for Cowans sake he picks it up in the second half of the season and has a big playoffs because if he plays like he has so far in the first half and at the world juniors he may be back as a 19 year old (which would be great for you guys obviously)

Been a Cowan guy long before he was a Leaf. Was telling everyone he was underrated back when Leafs fans thought the pick was bad. Seen nearly every game the kid has ever played at the major jr level and a huge % of them in person.

Receipts:



Yager was terrible. Can't believe you're using him as an example of players here. Catton is the only one even close and a ton of his value was directly from Cowan's play. I don't expect everyone to be good at player eval or anything but jumping on this narrative that Cowan was bad relative to the team shows none of you know what to look for.

 

[dino200022]

He isn't being pushed. He's been good and getting praise for it. This happens for all teams, but people only freak out when it happens to Leafs. Net, he is accurately rated, although I think if you include fan sentiment in that he is becoming underrated again quickly.
I'm sorry you can't see Cowan's value. He was all over the puck trying things all game with no outlets. There is a reason he was seeing so much screen time

Yes he was. Catton is close with flaws (although everyone on the roster this year was flawed) but the other guys were not better. You putting Howe here is hilarious.


I agree actually. Thought the same last year too (although to a lesser extent). I wanted to see him take over most games in a way he hasn't done consistently. Him not doing so is my biggest asterisk on the player right now. I think he has the ability to do it so I'm not sure what the hang up is. Its a big reason I think he will need AHL time next year. Kill some JR habits, and really start to ramp up to the mens game



Been a Cowan guy long before he was a Leaf. Was telling everyone he was underrated back when Leafs fans thought the pick was bad. Seen nearly every game the kid has ever played at the major jr level and a huge % of them in person.

Receipts:



Yager was terrible. Can't believe you're using him as an example of players here. Catton is the only one even close and a ton of his value was directly from Cowan's play. I don't expect everyone to be good at player eval or anything but jumping on this narrative that Cowan was bad relative to the team shows none of you know what to look for.

This whole post just shows that you walk around with green and yellow glasses on while the rest of us try to be impartial. This post discredits a lot of what you say. You sound like my over exaggerating grandfather telling the same story for the 20th time yet this time he knows where Jimmy Hoffa is...

I totally understand what you are saying, and we all love the kid as well. But sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade.

 

[Fastpace]

Saw this on Erie's thread, has anyone else has any other infos on this?

 

[LDN]

Saw this on Erie's thread, has anyone else has any other infos on this?

Whoa that is odd. This man has been in Jr. hockey for a LONG time

 

[Ken Yates]

Just like Barkey after mono it takes a bit of time to get back to full speed. Cowan has been a bit off since the centre ice hit that knocked him out of a few games. I expect the regular Cowan to appear soon.

 

[ReLyT]

I thought Cowan would get a few weeks off after the World Juniors. He just looks hurt and like he can't play at his usual 100%.
The problem with Leafs land and the hype is they expect Andrew Cristall type numbers out of him but that's just not him right now.
He's more Kadri than Marner.
Hoping he gets back to 100% soon and he can have a breakout just before the playoffs and can be dominant there.