London Knights 2018 Offseason Thread

[Fastpace]

I mean they played well enough but they really lack that killer instinct. 1 goal again? The forward group isn't so drastically different from last year that you'd except such a drop off in goals.

1-7 start to the year? Jeez, who saw that coming. Extremely disappointing start - something has to change.

How is the team going to look when players are inevitably sold off? Younger players need to step up and start producing or else we're looking at an absolutely putrid year.

They are going to be alright, start and play the whole game the same way they played the third tonight. Speeds with puck possession creat lot of chances , things will get better !

 

[Knights2729]

In 2007-08 the Knights started off 0-7-0 and ended up going 38-24-6 so if they can get things going sometime soon then maybe they can turn it into a decent record. We'll just have to watch and see I guess

 

[BogeyJ]

A lot of teams are going to be competitive again in the western conference. It's junior hockey. If past can predict the future and current the knights will rebound.. but ... And a big butt.. maybe they won't.

Bias as I am, the knights just don't have the depth they are used to having.. And other teams have caught up and past them this year so far. I know the hunters past, I know the playoff success, I know the pedigree, but we have to remember this is junior hockey. These kids on the knights have not shown the same capabilities as the knights before them..
No one was worried when marner showed marner, no one was worried when devorak was devorak, and that's just of late..
No offense to the recent early draft picks; butttttt.... they are not the same...

 

[aresknights]

Pu, Thomas, Jones n Miltec gotta produce, period.
Ill refrain from being specifically critical, but all of them need to show up on the scoreboard. They need to be better, make plays, show some finish, reduce the turnovers n lazy plays....make plays, dont expect them to come to you.
Those 4 have more to give.

 

[BogeyJ]

Pu, Thomas, Jones n Miltec gotta produce, period.
Ill refrain from being specifically critical, but all of them need to show up on the scoreboard. They need to be better, make plays, show some finish, reduce the turnovers n lazy plays....make plays, dont expect them to come to you.
Those 4 have more to give.

Did you mention penalties?

 

[aresknights]

Did you mention penalties?

In reference to taking them or all 4 on the ice for the vast majority of PP time and producing 0? Stopped keeping track of poor passes,TOs, soft plays on the PP after a while.

But obviously from my post you referenced, no I didnt. I wasnt as upset with the Jones poke at a puck on DiPi ( if thats what your talking about- or their team discipline in general tonight) as I was with the things I mentioned.
Vets gotta be better. I honestly wasnt expecting alot of leadership from Pu or Jones but there is another vet I expected to take the lead n Im still waiting.
Is what it is for now. Kids are going to step up, or they dont Someone has to step up in that room. Too many high NHL picks doing there own thing right now and it shows. I dont have a ton of faith 2 of the 4 eventually buy in. But hope Im wrong.
That n there is no D that can settle the troops down in their own end. Bouchard isnt a #1. Talented draft eligible kid, sure... But definitely not a steadying influence for the group.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Traditionally your letters ("C" "A")are reserved for the players on your roster that exhibit leadership both on and off the ice. The absence of letters tonight on 2 particular players speaks volumes

 

[LDN]

London Knights have 4 Over-Age Players

Shane Collins............R Shot D-Man
Tyler Rollo............... ..L Shot Forward
Adrian Carbonara....R Shot Forward
Sam Miletic................L Shot Forward

Something has got to give eh?

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Something has got to give eh?

To me you have to look no further than the scratch list from tonight's game to see who will be the odd man out

 

[LDN]

To me you have to look no further than the scratch list from tonight's game to see who will be the odd man out

I kinda like Carbs, but man we need to shake this team up. What do you think we should do?

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

I kinda like Carbs, but man we need to shake this team up. What do you think we should do?

I like Carbonara as well, but something has to give and unless they have a suitor for Miletic, I don't see any other option.

I've given my opinion on what this team should do. As much as they've contributed in the past, I think 49 and 63 have run their course. Stripping the "A" off each jersey sends a resounding message across not only the dressing room but the entire fan base. To me that is more of a storyline than a 1-7 start.

 

[rolf smitty]

I kinda like Carbs, but man we need to shake this team up. What do you think we should do?

sell(and pray)

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Officially the worst start in modern knights history. I would really like to see some big deadline deals to get some top prospects in here. No excuse.

 

[sbpointer]

I'm not going to lie every time I see the headline Knights have completed a trade I get a little excited they moved one of the bigger pieces for prospects of picks but so far minor additions. It would be disappointing if Carbs is the odd OA out as so far he looks like more of a part of the solution then the problem. Without him here who leads?

 

[Fastpace]

I'm not going to lie every time I see the headline Knights have completed a trade I get a little excited they moved one of the bigger pieces for prospects of picks but so far minor additions. It would be disappointing if Carbs is the odd OA out as so far he looks like more of a part of the solution then the problem. Without him here who leads?

These Knights as a team are very young, sure they have some NHL draftees returning on offence but none coming back at the back-end. They are bringing in 20 year olds to work with the younger players especially with the Ds. We all know the offence start from a good transition game, this has been the Knights signature game ever since the Hunters took over the team. They are going to settle down the young defense teach them how it's done in the O's and put in a basic transition system that will get our offence moving again, we saw an example of it last night. If it don't work they can always start moving out pieces and slowly work the futures in. IMHO. !!!

 

[KnightWatch]

I think having Tymkin and keeping McKinnon was the writing on the wall for Carbs....great team guy, but we already have similar guys who aren't overagers. I hate to see him go, but I don't really see any other likely choice.

I also think the Knights' biggest problem right now is they have no (or very few) play-makers. A guy like Bratt is exactly what this team needs. We have all sorts of guys who (think they) can finish, but nobody who can get them the puck in a good scoring position. Thomas is the best passer we've got, but even he has struggled to this point.

I still think it's too early to go into a full-scale rebuild, but I don't think it's too early to trade 49 or 63 or even 48 if we can replace them with guys who can pass the puck and/or lead this team!

 

[Purple Phart]

Over the years, I've always noticed that London's coaching staff have habitually undervalued their d-men. As of now, that's the area that this team is most lacking. They have the offensive players who've shown that they're more than capable of scoring, but this season aren't getting that done. I've heard others expound the phylosophy that a good offence is better than defence, and to an extent, that's true. However, if the d-men aren't clearing the zone and getting the puck to the forwards, then it all breaks down, and the team has neither.
This deficiency has become glaringly apparent with the unpredicted graduation of key d-men, and is the fundamental cause of the team's bad start.

Once the youngsters get their confidence level up, I suspect that's when the Knights will start stringing wins together on a more consistant basis. They NEED a defence coach.....not 2 forwards, one of which was converted to playing defence, in order to maintain playing time. It's not an easy position to learn, so why handicap those players with the absence of a proper defence coach ?? I guess that it comes down to which positions are most valued.

 

[LDN]

I like Carbonara as well, but something has to give and unless they have a suitor for Miletic, I don't see any other option.

I've given my opinion on what this team should do. As much as they've contributed in the past, I think 49 and 63 have run their course. Stripping the "A" off each jersey sends a resounding message across not only the dressing room but the entire fan base. To me that is more of a storyline than a 1-7 start.

What is wrong with those two? I personally expected a big year from both and I thought they would be potentially part of the best line in the CHL? Is it an attitude problem? Are they upset they didnt make the NHL(I would be as well)? What type of return could they get for them? I think their value is at an all time low.
I haven't gotten a chance to watch a good majority of the games this year. I am wondering what the main problem is? What is going wrong? is part of the problem bad luck? I have never seen the Knights start so bad!

 

[Snippit]

I am not sure Jones has taken any strides since the 15-16 season.

 

[LDN]

Cliff Pu 7 games played 3 assists 3 points minus 8
Max Jones 5 games played 2 goals 2 points minus 9
They need to step up this weekend or get shipped out

 

[LDN]

I am not sure Jones has taken any strides since the 15-16 season.

Quite sad. He has the potential to be even better then Tkachuck, but Tkachuck is just such an efficient player and plays an "NHL" style game(right place right time and He's a pro)

 

[Snippit]

Quite sad. He has the potential to be even better then Tkachuck, but Tkachuck is just such an efficient player and plays an "NHL" style game(right place right time and He's a pro)

Jones reminds me of Evander Kane lite. Beast on the puck but has tunnel vision and poor play-making ability.

But I don't see Jones ever being more than a 15-15 player at the NHL level. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[LDN]

Jones reminds me of Evander Kane lite. Beast on the puck but has tunnel vision and poor play-making ability.

But I don't see Jones ever being more than a 15-15 player at the NHL level. Maybe I'm wrong.

Really? I saw him as a dominant 30-30 type of player....It looks like I am wrong. I thought he had Perry type of skills

 

[Purple Phart]

I've noticed a few Spits fans have taken some delight in the fact that that organization chose to raise their 2017 Memorial Cup banner during the Knights visit. I find that somewhat ironic in that it was the Knights who eliminated the Spits from the playoffs, and forced their entry into the tournament via the "host ticket".

I'd be curious if the Spitfire players from their back-to-back Cup wins were polled and asked which of the 3 banners they value the most ? Fait question IMHO.

 

[LDN]

Are there any Imports we can acquire? With Juolevi gone, Bratt looking like he's gone and Boqvist looking like he isnt coming over....We need at least one good import