London Knights 2018 Offseason Thread

[EvenSteven]

Kitchener is beating down the Soo 6-1 after two periods. Former Knights Cole Sherwood is having a good series with 12 goals 10 assists in 16 games. But what's going on Sault Saint Marie?

The Soo? They've run into steady competition for the first time this season. They have a pretty good team but have had the easiest schedule in the west this year if not the entire league.

Except for Sarnia, the rest of their division was below par and were pretty much games they'd run the score on. Also, no other west team benefited from playing weak east teams Sudbury x 6 and North Bay x 4 (all 4 vs NB came before Christmas when they were on the basement).

Meanwhile, even though Erie was a weak rebuilding team this year, mid west division teams spent the season scrapping it out with each other making each other better.

The Rangers regular season compared to the Soo? While the Soo played extra games vs weak east teams above, and only played OS twice all year, the Rangers played OS eight times, always tough vs the Rangers no matter where they are in the standings Guelph (as we seen in the playoffs), and a very good London team who are always tough against the Rangers.

Fast forward to playoff time and the Soo are getting a wake up call. Welcome to life in the Mid West division! Seven tough physical games vs OS and now four games in vs the equally tough Rangers. This is all new for the Soo and it showed last night especially. They played like they were visibly beat up and afraid to engage.

The team that had fun all year running the score against the bad teams, that got amped up to play the odd game against a good team, is now having to face adversity for the first time this year vs OS and now Kitchener. Make no mistake, had OS had a decent tender, say a Raaymakers had they dealt for him at the deadline, it would be an OS / Kit western final.

 

[zman77]

2018 NHL Draft
OHL Prospects Retweeted
Bob McKenzie‏Verified account @TSNBobMcKenzie 2h2 hours ago

The @TSNHockey Top 15 Rankings, Draft Lottery Edition, will be out tomorrow.
Not much suspense as to No. 1, but it’s wide open beyond that.
Scouts I’ve talked to believe this year’s class is outstanding.

 

[zman77]

U18 Team Canada lose 2-1 Czechs

OHL Prospects‏ @BrockOtten 1h1 hour ago

Tough loss for Canada.
Best team this team has had on paper at this tournament in quite some time.
But if you can't score on the powerplay, you won't make it through the medal round.

 

[Fastpace]

The Soo? They've run into steady competition for the first time this season. They have a pretty good team but have had the easiest schedule in the west this year if not the entire league.

Except for Sarnia, the rest of their division was below par and were pretty much games they'd run the score on. Also, no other west team benefited from playing weak east teams Sudbury x 6 and North Bay x 4 (all 4 vs NB came before Christmas when they were on the basement).

Meanwhile, even though Erie was a weak rebuilding team this year, mid west division teams spent the season scrapping it out with each other making each other better.

The Rangers regular season compared to the Soo? While the Soo played extra games vs weak east teams above, and only played OS twice all year, the Rangers played OS eight times, always tough vs the Rangers no matter where they are in the standings Guelph (as we seen in the playoffs), and a very good London team who are always tough against the Rangers.

Fast forward to playoff time and the Soo are getting a wake up call. Welcome to life in the Mid West division! Seven tough physical games vs OS and now four games in vs the equally tough Rangers. This is all new for the Soo and it showed last night especially. They played like they were visibly beat up and afraid to engage.

The team that had fun all year running the score against the bad teams, that got amped up to play the odd game against a good team, is now having to face adversity for the first time this year vs OS and now Kitchener. Make no mistake, had OS had a decent tender, say a Raaymakers had they dealt for him at the deadline, it would be an OS / Kit western final.

The Ranngers are a very good team and are gelling together at the right time of the year, they are well balance and are strong in all positions, no doubt they are a formidable force against the Greyhounds and could beat them out in this 2 out of 3 short series left. But trying to weakened their oponents on papers or on weaker competitions they had to play against, does not cut it, the Greyhounds are still an cexcellent machine who has proven themselves many times this season, and if I may add, had the longest and the hardest travels to make all year.

Best of lucks to both Rangers and Greyhounds as well as Halmilton and Kingston

 

[zman77]

Morgan Reilly............Gets Respect!

Jake Jeffrey‏ @980jake 6h6 hours ago

Jake Jeffrey Retweeted Jake Jeffrey
Rielly was one of my favourite Leafs before, he's definitely my guy now
https://twitter.com/980jake/status/989467349119008769 …


Jake Jeffrey @980jake
One thing that I think is getting a little overlooked from last night's game 7.
Morgan Rielly took a Zdeno Chara slap shot to the face and returned to the game.
I know Chara didn't get all of the shot but STILL, pucks to the face hurt.
period.

 

[Fastpace]

U20 Team Canada lose 2-1 Czechs

OHL Prospects‏ @BrockOtten 1h1 hour ago

Tough loss for Canada.
Best team this team has had on paper at this tournament in quite some time.
But if you can't score on the powerplay, you won't make it through the medal round.

Is this the U20 or te U18 team he's talking about?

 

[zman77]

Is this the U20 or te U18 team he's talking about?

lol................Thanks Fastpace.
Yes, U18................just changed it.

 

[Fastpace]

Congratulations to Robert Thomas and Nicklus Mattinen as Eastern OHL chanpions as Hamilton won the Kingston series 4 games to 1. Best of luck to both of them and the Hamilton Bolldogs as they continue on to their 2018 Memorial Cup conquest

Apr. 26/18 – GM5 East Final – KGN (1) – HAM (2) – Ontario Hockey League

 

[Maxxim1]

Congratulations to Robert Thomas and Nicklus Mattinen as Eastern OHL chanpions as Hamilton won the Kingston series 4 games to 1. Best of luck to both of them and the Hamilton Bolldogs as they continue on to their 2018 Memorial Cup conquest

Apr. 26/18 – GM5 East Final – KGN (1) – HAM (2) – Ontario Hockey League

What? No love for Ben Gleason?

 

[Fastpace]

What? No love for Ben Gleason?

YA !! That guy too, would Hamilton be up this far without friendly London Knights hand?

 

[Hardcore Techno]

Just curious ? Knight fans. What's it like to potentially win every year ? Do you get bored ? I'm a Hounds fan. When the Knights go all the way, how's it feel? I'm not trolling or mad.

 

[Fastpace]

Just curious ? Knight fans. What's it like to potentially win every year ? Do you get bored ? I'm a Hounds fan. When the Knights go all the way, how's it feel? I'm not trolling or mad.

We enjoy all the success the Knights have and alll, unfortunately comes fall we forget so we like to be reminded every seasons

 

[LDN]

Just curious ? Knight fans. What's it like to potentially win every year ? Do you get bored ? I'm a Hounds fan. When the Knights go all the way, how's it feel? I'm not trolling or mad.

We always go into every season with great anticipation as we know it can either go one way or another....retool season or a go for it season....The players who step on the ice at the Bud always have a ton of pressure on them to succeed....They certainly feel it if they lose. With that being said the Hounds have a great program and are continually developing fantastic players like Matt Murray! Wow what a great goalie. Watched him play last night vs Washington and wow did he ever shut the door. For the sake of the OHL I wish that more teams were managed and coached like the Soo as it would make for a better league, but as a selfish Knights fan I know that it would make it more difficult for us

 

[bobber]

We always go into every season with great anticipation as we know it can either go one way or another....retool season or a go for it season....The players who step on the ice at the Bud always have a ton of pressure on them to succeed....They certainly feel it if they lose. With that being said the Hounds have a great program and are continually developing fantastic players like Matt Murray! Wow what a great goalie. Watched him play last night vs Washington and wow did he ever shut the door. For the sake of the OHL I wish that more teams were managed and coached like the Soo as it would make for a better league, but as a selfish Knights fan I know that it would make it more difficult for us

Personally I don't see that many flaws in the Knights management and their plans going forward. What is it you see that is different from what the Soo is doing? Knights always seem competitive and even when they sold off they still were close in the Knight/Attack series. Not saying the Soo doesn't have a successful management style.

 

[zman77]

Andy Lehoux‏ @Andylehoux1 18h18 hours ago

Top player for the #U18Worlds Canadian team IMO:
1. Allan McShane
2. Oliver Rodrigue
3. Serron Noel
4. Alexis Lafrènière
5. Raphael Lavoie
HM : Foudy, McIsaac

 

[zman77]

Brendan Ross Retweeted
Pittsburgh Penguins‏Verified account @penguins 22h22 hours ago

Coach Sullivan on Crosby:
"I have never been around an athlete (not just a hockey player)
with the work ethic that Sid has.
He controls his habits off the ice (his living habits, his eating habits, his off-ice workouts)...
I've never seen anyone with that same type of drive."

 

[zman77]

Ryan Pyette‏Verified account @RyanatLFPress 16h16 hours ago

London Knights centre Billy Moskal is on the OHL's scholastic team.
One player per club.

 

[stickhandle]

This will be the quickest rebuild in OHL history they basically just signed 4 first round picks to go along with the ones the received in the sell off at the trade deadline

 

[Fastpace]

Andy Lehoux‏ @Andylehoux1 18h18 hours ago

Top player for the #U18Worlds Canadian team IMO:
1. Allan McShane
2. Oliver Rodrigue
3. Serron Noel
4. Alexis Lafrènière
5. Raphael Lavoie
HM : Foudy, McIsaac

The sad part about stats, it never tells the true story. Players with special assignments hardly get recognition anymore. Sure players playing with good players on a line with extra ice time are bound to fatten the stats beside their names. I don't want to take anything away from the goal getters on the statsheet, unfortunately that very sheet is taking away many special hard working players with inaccurate stat details. IMHO

 

[Fastpace]

What I was getting at with U18 team Canada stats, Foudy was given special defensive coverage because the coaches noticed his defensive responsibilty, something he learned while playing the two years system for Dale Hunter's team.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

Jan. 7

LDN

Max Jones

KGN

Sergey Popov KGN 3 2021 KGN 2 2023

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Not a bad haul in return for 15 games and 6 points

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

This will be the quickest rebuild in OHL history they basically just signed 4 first round picks to go along with the ones the received in the sell off at the trade deadline

London doesn't rebuild...they reload

 

[LDN]

Jan. 7

LDN

Max Jones

KGN

Sergey Popov KGN 3 2021 KGN 2 2023

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Not a bad haul in return for 15 games and 6 points

UNREAL TRADE lol!

 

[aresknights]

The sad part about stats, it never tells the true story. Players with special assignments hardly get recognition anymore. Sure players playing with good players on a line with extra ice time are bound to fatten the stats beside their names. I don't want to take anything away from the goal getters on the statsheet, unfortunately that very sheet is taking away many special hard working players with inaccurate stat details. IMHO.

What I was getting at with U18 team Canada stats, Foudy was given special defensive coverage because the coaches noticed his defensive responsibilty, something he learned while playing the two years system for Dale Hunter's team.​

Have you watched all the games?
Is this opinion just based on speculation or reading media releases?

I don't disagree that stats don't tell a full story but wondering about where the context you post comes from.
Seeing it? Hearing it? Making assumptions based on numbers and jr team affiliation?
All good just curious where your strong opinion comes from.

 

[aresknights]

What I was getting at with U18 team Canada stats, Foudy was given special defensive coverage because the coaches noticed his defensive responsibilty, something he learned while playing the two years system for Dale Hunter's team.

If players can put pucks in the net or drive the offensive, coaches put them in that role. No questions. And if as you say, Foudy was asked to play D instead of drive offense, coaches saw a reason for that. Ill leave it at that.
The D side is important, no doubts. But if you are a top offensive F you are asked to do both at this level "Not be relegated to a D role only as you say he was put in"
Look at the NHL playoffs, look at your fav coach Dale. They almost exclusively match top 2 lines vs top 2 lines with some exceptions-- but not the rule
( Dmen are a different story)