London Knights 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 10)

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

20 years I've been a season ticket holder and have been following this team.

This is without question the most underachieving and frustrating team in those 20 years.

it's absolutely insane to me how they had by far the least amount of goals against in the league in the first half, added pieces, and got SUBSTANTIALLY worse. if I'm Dale.. I don't even play these guys in Saginaw. I know there's no chance of that happening based on this being a road trip. I'd sit em all and let the nationals play. Call up whoever needs to be called up to fill out a roster. Let them watch on TV when they lose first place, they don't deserve it.

On paper, this may be the best d corps in the entire CHL.. and they're far, far beyond awful. I cannot begin to count the odd man rushes, two on ones, or guys that are completely wide open that they do not do anything about. There are very few guys on this team who give a damn about playing as a team for a team. Foudy is one, Turko is another. The vast majority of these guys do not give a damn.

Starts with Bouchard for me. Absolutely massive step backwards this year, no question. If I'm Edmonton right now, I don't want any part of this guy. He's become incredibly selfish, whiny, and careless.

They're going to get absolutely slaughtered in the 2nd round no matter who they play. Don't see a series against Guelph, Saginaw, or SSM going past 5 games. Hope they make me eat my words and find another level but this is straight trash. This is no longer a team.

What a waste and what a shame.

Try being around for 50 yrs

this post got me thinking


Next season will mark 50 yrs that I have been attending Knights games. I often say "I've been a season ticket holder for almost 50 years". Well that's not officially true, but it's damn close. There were a few years we didn't buy season tickets, we didn't have to because the team wasn't that good and you could basically just go on game day and sit where you wanted to sit, but we still attended EVERY game... that's the same as a season ticket holder in my opinion. But anyway...next season 2019-2020 will mark 50 OHL Seasons for me being in a seat at the rink. Most will say "who cares"...well...I do. The majority of my hockey memories are Knights based, and the majority of those years were with my Pop as my wing-man. Pretty proud of this personal milestone

 

[superdee]

I am with PP as I started to go watch the Nationals at the old Ontario arena at the fair grounds. I am totally disappointed as well but I never expected them to challenge for first at the start of the season so I guess they over excelled for a portion of it. Somebody needs to take a "peepee" whacker to some of these kids to get their attention !!

 

[aresknights]

Obviously if this team is to be successful they need to start pulling in the same direction. But it'll take the staff to make a few changes and the players buy in. ( who knows, maybe they've had these talks already, but I doubt it )


What Id like to see.
London come out flying and drop 4 or 5 on Prosvetov in the first period
And let the games begin lol.

Wether they finish 1st or 2nd they need changes to be successful in POs. Tough task to flip it now. Habits are formed. They have their identity (not a fan)

 

[hockjock]

Try being around for 50 yrs

this post got me thinking


Next season will mark 50 yrs that I have been attending Knights games. I often say "I've been a season ticket holder for almost 50 years". Well that's not officially true, but it's damn close. There were a few years we didn't buy season tickets, we didn't have to because the team wasn't that good and you could basically just go on game day and sit where you wanted to sit, but we still attended EVERY game... that's the same as a season ticket holder in my opinion. But anyway...next season 2019-2020 will mark 50 OHL Seasons for me being in a seat at the rink. Most will say "who cares"...well...I do. The majority of my hockey memories are Knights based, and the majority of those years were with my Pop as my wing-man. Pretty proud of this personal milestone

Wow long time. I’ve just really been big into the OHL for about 4-5 years now.

 

[aresknights]

Come POs.
2 PP units that each get time. No more running 1 unit for 1:50 of each one.
Discipline from the Vet leaders. Make plays, don't whine and take selfish penalities.
Lots more but Id be happy to see this starting next week.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Wow long time. I’ve just really been big into the OHL for about 4-5 years now.

Right around the time you went into high school?

I kid...it's what I do

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Come POs.
2 PP units that each get time. No more running 1 unit for 1:50 of each one.
Discipline from the Vet leaders. Make plays, don't whine and take selfish penalities.
Lots more but Id be happy to see this starting next week.

First step....get Regula off the PP. Why they insist on burning out their top 3 D men is a mystery to me.

Dale...it's not working. Just because it worked a few times...doesn't mean it's a successful experiment

 

[Purple Phart]

I put this possibility out there a few pages back, but I have suspicions this team malaise isn't Dale's doing. When you have an assistant looking to eventually take over as head coach, they have to undergo a period of training. My suspicion is that Dylan has had his training wheels removed, and what we're seeing is the result of that exercise. Just like teaching a teenager how to drive, one has to expect that they'll put a ding ot two into the training vehicle. Does it instill confidence in players or fans ??? About as much as finding out your surgeon won't be doing your operation, but he'll be supervising his intern, who graduated the bottom half of his Med School class.

 

[hockjock]

Right around the time you went into high school?

I kid...it's what I do

Ha ha just about that time

 

[Knightsrule]

Go Knights Go
Game not being televised?

 

[hockjock]

Right around the time you went into high school?

I kid...it's what I do

I believe my age also has a lot to do with why my thinking is different than the older generations. I respect the Hunters but I think they have to evolve a bit. These new generations of players are significantly different than a decade ago. Whether we like it or not or agree with it, It’s a fact.

 

[Otto]

I put this possibility out there a few pages back, but I have suspicions this team malaise isn't Dale's doing. When you have an assistant looking to eventually take over as head coach, they have to undergo a period of training. My suspicion is that Dylan has had his training wheels removed, and what we're seeing is the result of that exercise. Just like teaching a teenager how to drive, one has to expect that they'll put a ding ot two into the training vehicle. Does it instill confidence in players or fans ??? About as much as finding out your surgeon won't be doing your operation, but he'll be supervising his intern, who graduated the bottom half of his Med School class.

Dylan's not the one on the ice taking stupid penalties...

 

[imarriedawitch]

I don't think this was ever a "go for it" season. After acquiring McMichael and Dunkley followed by the signing of the 16 year olds this team was aiming for next year and beyond. However it is still disappointing in the way this years team leadership is mailing it in. I guess for every Marner/Dvorak you're going to get a Bouchard/Formenton. That might be the last time all those names should belong in the same sentence.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

I believe my age also has a lot to do with why my thinking is different than the older generations. I respect the Hunters but I think they have to evolve a bit. These new generations of players are significantly different than a decade ago. Whether we like it or not or agree with it, It’s a fact.

I refer to this current generation of under 20 youth as Generation E

E for ENTITLED

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

About as much as finding out your surgeon won't be doing your operation, but he'll be supervising his intern, who graduated the bottom half of his Med School class.

reminds me of a joke

What's the difference between a gynecologist and a proctologist?

One failed the oral

 

[Purple Phart]

Dylan's not the one on the ice taking stupid penalties...

I agree. However the coach has to provide a game plan that doesn't lead to players becoming frustrated. During his playing days, Dylan wasn't exactly immune from taking the odd stupid penalty himself.

 

[Fastpace]

The team looks to be lacking heart.

Can't be having 40 shots on net in a game with a period completely wasted fill with penalties and then say they lack heart.

They have been outshooting their opponents big time in most games, it is not a lack of heart nor a lack of talent, their problem is in the minds. It's like they know ahead of shooting that puck is not going in, the confidence is gone it is lost and can't find it back. Most time we'll see one or two players in a slump at a time but right now it appears the whole team is in a slump and it is shaking team confidence.

And another thing. They were doing so well until the arrival of Hancock and Formenton, we can also add Bouchard and Boqvist after coming back from the world series. All those players are now taking away ice time minutes, and lots of it, pushing back the players that brought up this team to first place . Players were doing so well and were mostly happy to a point each could have felt their role and ice time on the team would be secured, and are now to find out it wasn't with the arrival of top players. We may have a bunch of disgruntled players on this team, the players that were producing regularly like McMichael, Timkin, Dunkley, Guskov and Stranges have reduced their production since. These players carried the load of this team, some may say over achievers, but still brought it up to the top never the less and now finding themselves taking back seat to other gunners that were not here most of the season.

Wouldn't you be upset, unconsciously wouldn't this shake up your mind, for thinking you were doing so well and was so sure your ice time would not be diminishing. I mean wouldn't you be, if you were one of those players listed above, could this be now affecting the team and bring about the team slump we're are witnessing right now ? Could this be affecting the minds of this team ?

 

[hockjock]

I refer to this current generation of under 20 youth as Generation E

E for ENTITLED

Yup it’s true and it starts in school. No one gets failed. Every one gets rewarded and if the parents don’t follow suit, they are “ not supportive”

 

[hockjock]

Can't be having 40 shots on net in a game with a period completely wasted fill with penalties and then say they lack heart.

They have been outshooting their opponents big time in most games, it is not a lack of heart nor a lack of talent, their problem is in the minds. It's like they know ahead of shooting that puck is not going in, the confidence is gone it is lost and can't find it back. Most time we'll see one or two players in a slump at a time but right now it appears the whole team is in a slump and it is shaking team confidence.

And another thing. They were doing so well until the arrival of Hancock and Formenton, we can also add Bouchard and Boqvist after coming back from the world series. All those players are now taking away ice time minutes, and lots of it, pushing back the players that brought up this team to first place . Players were doing so well and were mostly happy to a point each could have felt their role and ice time on the team would be secured, and are now to find out it wasn't with the arrival of top players. We may have a bunch of disgruntled players on this team, the players that were producing regularly like McMichael, Timkin, Dunkley, Guskov and Stranges have reduced their production since. These players carried the load of this team, some may sat over achievers, but still brought it up to the top never the less and now finding themselves taking back seat to other gunners that were not here most of the season.

Wouldn't you be upset, unconsciously wouldn't this shake up your mind, for thinking you were doing so well and was so sure your ice time would not be diminishing. I mean wouldn't you be, if you were one of those players listed above, could this be now affecting the team and bring about the team slump were are witnessing right now ? Could this be affecting the minds of this team ?

Well that’s what I said a few posts ago. It’s all mental. Not everyone agreed

 

[GoKnightsGo44]

Really disappointed with the discipline on this team. We had a chance to come back in the third period then we take a double minor for unsportsmanlike. Never should happen!

We will be in trouble round one against Sarnia who are finally all healthy and off suspension.

 

[Otto]

Can't be having 40 shots on net in a game with a period completely wasted fill with penalties and then say they lack heart.

They have been outshooting their opponents big time in most games, it is not a lack of heart nor a lack of talent, their problem is in the minds. It's like they know ahead of shooting that puck is not going in, the confidence is gone it is lost and can't find it back. Most time we'll see one or two players in a slump at a time but right now it appears the whole team is in a slump and it is shaking team confidence.

And another thing. They were doing so well until the arrival of Hancock and Formenton, we can also add Bouchard and Boqvist after coming back from the world series. All those players are now taking away ice time minutes, and lots of it, pushing back the players that brought up this team to first place . Players were doing so well and were mostly happy to a point each could have felt their role and ice time on the team would be secured, and are now to find out it wasn't with the arrival of top players. We may have a bunch of disgruntled players on this team, the players that were producing regularly like McMichael, Timkin, Dunkley, Guskov and Stranges have reduced their production since. These players carried the load of this team, some may sat over achievers, but still brought it up to the top never the less and now finding themselves taking back seat to other gunners that were not here most of the season.

Wouldn't you be upset, unconsciously wouldn't this shake up your mind, for thinking you were doing so well and was so sure your ice time would not be diminishing. I mean wouldn't you be, if you were one of those players listed above, could this be now affecting the team and bring about the team slump were are witnessing right now ? Could this be affecting the minds of this team ?

Except for the most part the issues with this team have not been with the players whose ice time has supposedly been diminished... it's with the players that are supposedly taking it.

That being said I don't believe anything anyone says about ice time. It's not a published stat, unless you're sitting in your arena with a laptop you don't know what the actual ice time is.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Yup it’s true and it starts in school. No one gets failed. Every one gets rewarded and if the parents don’t follow suit, they are “ not supportive”

"You finished last...here take the same award as the person who won...The main thing is you had fun"

I call BS...these parents and that mindset has created a generation of iPhone using, thumbsucking, entitled little pukes. I cringe looking at the future of this planet with this current generation poised to be our leaders. My kids are 22 and 25 and I raised them how I was raised...if you failed you worked harder to succeed. If you lost the other guy was better prepared. If you won your hard work paid off. None of the participation BS. It's sickening how soft every facet of our society has become

 

[hockjock]

"You finished last...here take the same award as the person who won...The main thing is you had fun"

I call BS...these parents and that mindset has created a generation of iPhone using, thumbsucking, entitled little pukes. I cringe looking at the future of this planet with this current generation poised to be our leaders

Hey that’s what our parents said about us too.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Hey that’s what our parents said about us too.

No they didn't...maybe yours did

 

[The Howler]

"You finished last...here take the same award as the person who won...The main thing is you had fun"

I call BS...these parents and that mindset has created a generation of iPhone using, thumbsucking, entitled little pukes. I cringe looking at the future of this planet with this current generation poised to be our leaders. My kids are 22 and 25 and I raised them how I was raised...if you failed you worked harder to succeed. If you lost the other guy was better prepared. If you won your hard work paid off. None of the participation BS. It's sickening how soft every facet of our society has become

Regretfully this is totally true, and not just in sports .