London Knights 2018 Offseason Thread

[Snippit]

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.

I'm surprised they even raised it. A back door Memorial Cup is not much of an achievement when you're eliminated in Round 1.

 

[TheCoach]

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

Chance are we will go without this year thats a big blow

 

[nelli27]

Forget about the standings...this team is not even fun to watch. Give me some reason to attend these games!
The defence is 'terrible' or if you'd prefer, 'young and inexperienced'; goaltending is subpar (I'm being polite); and even the returning vets are struggling to score; no imports. The young prospects that I'm looking forward to watching develop are not even in the lineup (Rowe, DuHart, Bangs).
Moscal and Foudy are showing no signs of why they were picked so high in last year's draft. Erie, Soo, OS and Oshawa (to name just a handful of teams) seem to have made better selections of late.
The acquisition of Collins just seems to me to be an act of desperation.
I've had enough of Jones' selfishness.
I'm assuming that this futility will continue, and if so, one would think that the Knights would be looking to unload Pu and Jones (among others) in December and re-tool.
It's conceivable that Thomas and Formenton (assuming F will be heading back to London soon this season) will return up front next season. Add a Euro forward with what should be a relatively high import pick in the 2018 Import Draft. Bouchard will be back, and could possibly be joined by Boquist (sp?). Regula, Perrott, and Bangs will be in their sophomore season. If Foudy is not traded maybe he'll improve enough to play on the second line next year.
Just so this post is not entirely negative for those readers who have an aversion to realists:
I've been pleased with the play and improvement of Nelson, and R. Whittaker.

 

[aresknights]

Id play Jones with Carbs n Tympkin tonight and tell em to just look to crash n bang. Id be tempted to rotate McKinnon in as well. ( or as previous suggested throw Carbs on D, thou Id rather him looking to be active on a forecheck)
Foudy needs to start to step up as well.
Id also give Rowe n DuHart some 4th line duty tonight.
I just think gotta shake it up a bit here. And look for a spark.
Tonight will say alot IMO. Just in how the react as a group ( I refrain from using team as of now lol)

 

[hockeylegend11]

I'm surprised they even raised it. A back door Memorial Cup is not much of an achievement when you're eliminated in Round 1.

I am not surprised about raising it, Windsor played by rules, didn't make them, every team in the league received 113,000 from the tourney,your team had it's chance in 2014, won't rehash what happened.
The clinchers for me were when the Erie coach said they had never played a full Windsor roster all year,till the Mem Cup,nor did London for that matter,and the St.Johns coach said that Windsor and Erie were the 2 best teams his team had played all year.
When healthy they were as good or better then anybody and proved it

 

[Nabru]

Nelli, the team isn't fun to watch but I think that has more to do with the modern OHL game than poor team(s). There is little or no physical play anymore in any game. The common thought is that there is more speed and skill today but I don't agree with that either.

I've seen the Knights win 4 OHL Championships in a relatively short amount of time so for me I can live with not winning as much as long as the product on the ice is entertaining and affordable. When a single GA ticket ends up costing $33.25 with service fees, I'll pass.

It's the way of things. Times change. Concussions scared hockey leagues. Branch goes overboard and suspends players for nothing. Hur-dur. Tell me when and how to cheer when I'm at Bud Gardens next time, please!

 

[Snippit]

I am not surprised about raising it, Windsor played by rules, didn't make them, every team in the league received 113,000 from the tourney,your team had it's chance in 2014, won't rehash what happened.
The clinchers for me were when the Erie coach said they had never played a full Windsor roster all year,till the Mem Cup,nor did London for that matter,and the St.Johns coach said that Windsor and Erie were the 2 best teams his team had played all year.
When healthy they were as good or better then anybody and proved it

I remember prior to the 2014 tournament and after London was eliminated, most posters were resigned to the fact that a Memorial Cup win wouldn't mean much if it was through the back door.

There were probably 5 teams in the OHL that would have been better than anybody that the Sea Dogs coach saw in the QMJHL. The other 2 leagues were particularly bad that year.

If I recall correctly the only player missing against London was Stanley...while Miletic missed several games in that series for the Knights.

 

[ReLyT]

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

I think we should hold onto Boqvist's rights as a just in case. He's a top pick type material.
Bratt is 100% gone barring an injury then being sent down type of move. But don't wish that on him at all.
So it's clear they are playing "wait and see" right now, but that can only last for so long.

 

[hockeylegend11]

I remember prior to the 2014 tournament and after London was eliminated, most posters were resigned to the fact that a Memorial Cup win wouldn't mean much if it was through the back door.

There were probably 5 teams in the OHL that would have been better than anybody that the Sea Dogs coach saw in the QMJHL. The other 2 leagues were particularly bad that year.

If I recall correctly the only player missing against London was Stanley...while Miletic missed several games in that series for the Knights.

Miletic missed the 1st 2 games of series,not all 7 ,that Stanley did, Windsor's best PK dman,would have been interesting had London's best PK dman missed the whole series speaking of Crawley and Stanley had played.Like Erie's coach said it all.

 

[TheCoach]

If mete isnt returned i see them trading Pu and Jones relatively quickly

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Id play Jones with Carbs n Tympkin tonight and tell em to just look to crash n bang. Id be tempted to rotate McKinnon in as well. ( or as previous suggested throw Carbs on D, thou Id rather him looking to be active on a forecheck)
Foudy needs to start to step up as well.
Id also give Rowe n DuHart some 4th line duty tonight.
I just think gotta shake it up a bit here. And look for a spark.
Tonight will say alot IMO. Just in how the react as a group ( I refrain from using team as of now lol)

I'd like to see this lineup tonight....just because

Miletic/Thomas/Carbonara
Whittaker/Foudy/Nelson
Rowe/Turko/Tymkin
Jones/Pu/McKinnon (and play them 4th line minutes)

Rollo sits

 

[aresknights]

I'd like to see this lineup tonight....just because

Miletic/Thomas/Carbonara
Whittaker/Foudy/Nelson
Rowe/Turko/Tymkin
Jones/Pu/McKinnon (and play them 4th line minutes)

Rollo sits

I se your thinking but theyd be in tough outside the Thomas line. I just wanna response from the club in some way shape or form.
Miletic/Thomas/Rowe
Tympkin/Turko/Carbanaro
Jones/Foudy/Nelson
Whittaker/Pu/McKinnon

Just roll em all. Id give em all (vets) the chance to show up.

Im just throwin crap at wall lol

 

[Fastpace]

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

You can't blame a few players or their whole offence team when there are big holes left by the graduation of four big potential returning defenders . A team operates as a team , if one part is damaged or affected the rest of the team will suffers as well and will also be affected ! - "It's a team thing" !!!

 

[Fastpace]

I'm surprised they even raised it. A back door Memorial Cup is not much of an achievement when you're eliminated in Round 1.

Common man, were we to expect Windsor to give up their place just because they were knocked out of the playoffs early, London had it's chance of the same . Windsor had to beat the WHL, the QMJHL and the OHL champs two times to win it. Regardless how they got there or if they were rested up at the time it's still was a big acchievment , they are deserving full credit the same if the Knights had win it three years earlier or how Ottawa won it back in the late 90's and how London lost it to Shawinigan Cataracts in 2012 !

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

"It's a team thing" !!!

I haven't really seen a team wearing the Knights jersey yet this season. I'll let you know if I do

 

[Knights2729]

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.

They actually started off 0-7-0 in 2007-08 like I posted earlier

 

[aresknights]

You can't blame a few players or their whole offence team when there are big holes left by the graduation of four big potential returning defenders . A team operates as a team , if one part is damaged or affected the rest of the team will suffers as well and will also be affected ! - "It's a team thing" !!!

You can blame your alleged top guys for not producing, not showing up, and indifferent play.
Im not surprised at 63/49 (sadly) and realize its a tough adjustment for the other 2 coming back but they gotta be better.

Theyre skating around like its owed to them. Time to man up and play the right way.

 

[Nabru]

They actually started off 0-7-0 in 2007-08 like I posted earlier

It’s splitting hairs but that team actually started 0-6 and then won 7 in a row.

That team also had Steve Mason return from the NHL after that horrid start which helped them compete.

This team is 1-7 with the worst goal differential in the OHL. The only potential help returning is Formenton. He won’t move the needle to where they need to be.

As others have said, Jones, Pu, Thomas, Miletic, Bouchard need to drive the offence. I only have faith in one of those players doing that and it’s obvious who that is.

I am holding out hope for a semi-competitive season but it could be a long year.

 

[hockeylegend11]

If mete isnt returned i see them trading Pu and Jones relatively quickly

With zero intent to slight the Knights organization,what team in their right mind trade major assets for Pu,Jones,and Miletec, assuming they won't deal Thomas,it's not a change in venue those players,it's a change in attitude,the fact that Jones and Pu have won cups before,have signed pro contracts, collecting their bonus money, knowing that if London's season ends early,they go pro early make money and move on.If you can't get up playing for 9000 every night and the Knights organization treating, training their players the best that can be,what makes one they will all of sudden change for another organization.Btw I feel the same way should Windsor get Brown and Sergachev back,I have concerns re maximizing assets in return.The NHL signing and returning players,makes it very tough on those teams getting those said players back.
Especially those who are 19, instead of 18, final year of junior for the 19, thinks their heads for the most part,are with their pro team not Junior

 

[Snippit]

With zero intent to slight the Knights organization,what team in their right mind trade major assets for Pu,Jones,and Miletec, assuming they won't deal Thomas,it's not a change in venue those players,it's a change in attitude,the fact that Jones and Pu have won cups before,have signed pro contracts, collecting their bonus money, knowing that if London's season ends early,they go pro early make money and move on.If you can't get up playing for 9000 every night and the Knights organization treating, training their players the best that can be,what makes one they will all of sudden change for another organization.Btw I feel the same way should Windsor get Brown and Sergachev back,I have concerns re maximizing assets in return.The NHL signing and returning players,makes it very tough on those teams getting those said players back.
Especially those who are 19, instead of 18, final year of junior for the 19, thinks their heads for the most part,are with their pro team not Junior

I agree. Teams aren't blind - they recognize the issues these guys are having. I don't think Pu or Jones carries the value we hope they do.

 

[Nabru]

If the Knights are in sell mode come January, you have to seriously consider trading Thomas. It's a tough call, but Ottawa made the right call moving Konecny at age 18 as he graduated to the NHL at 19. Guelph missed the boat not trading Fabbri at 18 and that hurt them the following 2 years.

 

[Fastpace]

You can blame your alleged top guys for not producing, not showing up, and indifferent play.
Im not surprised at 63/49 (sadly) and realize its a tough adjustment for the other 2 coming back but they gotta be better.

Theyre skating around like its owed to them. Time to man up and play the right way.

All their young lives they are being told to play as a team with a six men on ice system , now with a broken up team we are telling only two players (63 & 49) to do it all by themselves and to man up. Go beat your opposing team all by yourself, take them all on and go through them by your lonesome and by the way make sure you score lots of goals ! " It's a team game and part of it needs fixing before your top players have any chance of producing again ".

From viewing the game last night in Windsor they showed signs of improvement and should start producing with some regular abbondance soon !

 

[hockeylegend11]

If the Knights are in sell mode come January, you have to seriously consider moving Thomas. It's a tough call, but Ottawa made the right call moving Konecny at age 18 as he graduated to the NHL at 19. Guelph missed the boat not trading Fabbri at 18 and that hurt them the following 3 years.

I'd like to see this lineup tonight....just because

Miletic/Thomas/Carbonara
Whittaker/Foudy/Nelson
Rowe/Turko/Tymkin
Jones/Pu/McKinnon (and play them 4th line minutes)

Rollo sits

For London only lineup change is Fallowfield in for Perrott
So no Carbonara or McKinnon

 

[Knights2729]

Kooy and DiPietro in Goal

 

[aresknights]

All their young lives they are being told to play as a team with a six men on ice system , now with a broken up team we are telling only two players (63 & 49) to do it all by themselves and to man up. Go beat your opposing team all by yourself, take them all on and go through them by your lonesome and by the way make sure you score lots of goals ! " It's a team game and part of it needs fixing before your top players have any chance of producing again ".

From viewing the game last night in Windsor they showed signs of improvement and should start producing with some regular abbondance soon !

Ive mentioned more than 2 players.
And i think quit the opposite to what you have stated or think im saying lol.
Doing it all by themselves, not giving a .... and not playing a team game is the problem. Its so obvious.

And yes they (and others) gotta man up and carry the load. Teams best players always gotta lead the way. They need to be your leaders. They have dissappointef to the point they are in the doghouse. On ice, team leadership, off ice. Just not getting it done.
Im rarely negative regarding kids and the knights but this team worries me. More than any in over a decade.
The staff is not happy with more than one player. This I know.