London Knights 2018 Offseason Thread

[Fastpace]

Help me out with something. The list of captains showed Joe Ranger as the only captain in 1985-1986. Joe would have only 17 that year and only played 36 games that season.
I asked a player who was on that team who was the captain that year and he thought it was Greg Puhulski. Does anyone have any memories of that era?

I do believe Jason Doyle is the player you are looking for, he served the firt half of the season as captain of the 95-96 Knights before he was trade to the SOO. I could be wrong

 

[aresknights]

My position isn't that one accomplishment is better than the other, or having a host team and that merit. It's that teams set out to win the Memorial Cup at the start of the year. When teams fall short at the Memorial Cup, the league title is the consolation and it can take a long time to get over the MC loss. Because competitive people want to be the best and beat the best which that tournament represents. I've only see the Spits fall at the Memorial Cup the one time in 88. So having the experience of Knights fans and seeing your team lose on a couple of occasions perhaps might have me view things different on the importance of winning the tournament.

To earn the right to compete for the title isnt a consolation prize imo as it occurs before the Memorial Cup tourney. A "consolation" prize is something handed out "after" you don't succeed.
Id consider a chance to compete in the Memorial Cup after not advancing in your league playoffs the "consolation" prize. (London's host year included and most fans here agreed, and agreed that year--- and did so pre tourney unlike the goalpost mover HL-- who was very silent until Spits got on a roll for a week),
Unlike the head Spits cheerleader who quickly changed his song n dance (with even less reg season or PO success) once tables turned. Not unexpected.

 

[superdee]

Not to get in a pissing contest with Windsor fans but the Memorial Cup is just a showcase of junior hockey and whoever wins it is great for the team winning but seriously anybody with any kind of intelligence would know a week long round robin means little to nothing other then to give a meaningless banner in the rafters. I truly believe the Memorial Cup format should be changed so the three league champions and the highest seeded loser play a best of 5 series then the two winners play a best of 7. That way no bull**** as it really is a playoff format not a round robin format and a team that doesn't even make it out of the first round doesn't qualify. Have it at a neutral site and no home team. I am certain if Kitchener hosted the cup and London, Owen Sound, Hamilton or Guelph fans would support it even if their teams were not guaranteed a spot. It is not about crowning a meaningful champion it is about making huge money with huge guarantees so it will always remain meaningless. I could give a rat's ass if the Knights won 5 cups and never one a playoff round as it would be really superficial. I keep hearing Windsor fans bitch about the sanctions placed on them because THEY WERE CAUGHT cheating. It was a conscious decision to cheat on Windsor's ownership and management group so they had to pay the price plain and simple.

 

[Drop the Puck]

Sigh, it’s going to be a long summer...........looking forward to the season starting.

Drop the Puck.

 

[aresknights]

Has the OHL implemented any on/off ice rule changes for the upcoming season?
We saw the goalie import reinstated at the draft (I like it)
Did they ever come to a consensus as to wether an OA goalie would count as one of the OAs currently allowed this season?
Anything else coming this season?

 

[superdee]

Maybe I was a touch harsh but I am sick and tired of people claiming the Knights are cheaters when they have nothing to base it on. It gets really sickening after a while. I know it is based on jealousy but when you sit in your mother's basement in your underwear on a keyboard pounding out nonsense you deserve to be treated harsh. You want to post meaningful stuff then don't let fear,common sense and good judgement hold you back just save the ***shit for someone else.

 

[Otto]

Bottom line.. speak to any player, would they rather win an OHL title, or a Memorial Cup... The answer is OHL title every time.

 

[zman77]

TheScout.ca‏ @TheScoutDotCa Jul 9

London Knights fans are going to be wondering how the heck they got
Gerard Keane in the 3rd round.
Was our 36th overall player in the '02 class.
Fantastic skater, great at both ends, intelligent in all facets, & an absolute gamer

 

[Fastpace]

The experience for a team to win a Memorial cup and be top junior team around has to be a great feeling of acchievement for the players, but does a short tourney not cheating out the value and the full exitement of the cup itself. Isn't it a long hard grinding out series fought through 7 games adds more to mastering of an opponent with the great rewarding feeling of acchievement in the end.

Would the organisers feel over loaded for prolonging the tourney an extra 4 or 5 days, is adding three more round robin games and making a 2 out of 3 final too expensive or difficult to attain. Would it make the winning team much more grateful of winning the Memorial cup and other teams having a second chance to redeem themselves or fully acknowledging defeats when unsuccessful.

I understand coming out of long league championships is very tiresome, but I also understand this is exactly why these teams won their championships. With longer series they had times for readjustments, unlike the Memorial cup tourney where in a short series or one game takes all between two evenly matched teams advantages often goes to home team. IMHO

 

[Snippit]

London is in a really interesting position right now.

They could potentially have the best defense group in the league, especially with a top pairing of Boqvist-Bouchard.

But up front, they look a little young.

Still, even if the forward group is a little raw, I would think Simpson tries to make a few veteran additions. We won't see talent like this on a junior hockey blue line in a very long time, and not making an effort to contend would be passing up a pretty big opportunity IMO.

 

[LDN]

London is in a really interesting position right now.

They could potentially have the best defense group in the league, especially with a top pairing of Boqvist-Bouchard.

But up front, they look a little young.

Still, even if the forward group is a little raw, I would think Simpson tries to make a few veteran additions. We won't see talent like this on a junior hockey blue line in a very long time, and not making an effort to contend would be passing up a pretty big opportunity IMO.

Agreed..Young, but fast and skilled up front...they could realistically bring in 3-4 vets and still be good for the next couple years just due to the young talent.

 

[zman77]

Morris Dalla Costa‏Verified account @MoDaCoatLFPress 21m21 minutes ago

NHLer' and St. Thomas' Greg McKegg shoots one-under to sit four shots back
in third at the Ontario Amateur.
He shot a 70.
NHL referee Garrett Rank leads after one day shooting a 66.
#golf
#ldnont

Leaderboard
Investors Group Ontario Men's Amateur Championship

 

[zman77]

OHL Prospects‏ @BrockOtten Jul 10

Worth noting the statistical trend over the years in regards to Import selections.
It's pretty consistent.
About 75% will actually suit up for their OHL teams next year,
and just under half (about 40%) will be impact players.

 

[zman77]

Mike Stubbs‏Verified account @stubbs980 20h20 hours ago

Mike Stubbs Retweeted Rockford IceHogs
Congratulations to Londoner and former @GoLondonKnights forward Brett Welychka.
https://twitter.com/goicehogs/status/1017090875866959873 …
Mike Stubbs added,

Rockford IceHogsVerified account @goicehogs
The #IceHogs have agreed to terms with forward Brett Welychka on a
one-year AHL contract through 2018-19!
Welychka served as captain during his junior season at…

 

[ohloutsider]

Morris Dalla Costa‏Verified account @MoDaCoatLFPress 21m21 minutes ago

NHLer' and St. Thomas' Greg McKegg shoots one-under to sit four shots back
in third at the Ontario Amateur.
He shot a 70.
NHL referee Garrett Rank leads after one day shooting a 66.
#golf
#ldnont

Leaderboard
Investors Group Ontario Men's Amateur Championship

I know summer is long and boring for us hockey fans but zman77 you are really reaching when you are posting golf results for former OHL players

 

[zman77]

I know summer is long and boring for us hockey fans but zman77 you are really reaching when you are posting golf results for former OHL players

haha.................anything on Knights players is usually interesting for me.
only 6-7 weeks before Camp.

 

[Ward Cornell]

only 6-7 weeks before Camp.

Next month sounds much much better!

 

[Drop the Puck]

Endless and Mindless banter regarding Willie Lochead on the Niagara boards Right now.
Something about him not returning to the Ice Dogs and that the Knights should give something for him to play at Western.

Going 1-12 in the OHL Championships will do that to some fans.

Carry on with the golf updates.

 

[zman77]

Endless and Mindless banter regarding Willie Lochead on the Niagara boards Right now.
Something about him not returning to the Ice Dogs and that the Knights should give something for him to play at Western.

Going 1-12 in the OHL Championships will do that to some fans.

Carry on with the golf updates.

Free Press staff
Updated: July 11, 2018
The Western Mustangs’ men’s hockey team has added six players to their roster for the 2018-19 season. All of them had Ontario Hockey League experience.
Ethan Szypula, Kyle Langdon, Kenny Huether, Alex Di Carlo, William Lochead and David Ovsjannikov will join Clarke Singer’s team for the Ontario university season.
Langdon, Szypula, and Huether are forwards while Lochead and Di Carlo are defencemen. Ovsjannikov will battle incumbent netminder Luke Peressini.
Szypula grew up in London but spent the past five seasons with the Owen Sound Attack playing in 320 games.
Lochead is also from London and played with the Niagara IceDogs.
He also played with Ridley College.
Mustangs add six former OHL players to hockey roster

 

[zman77]

Classy Farewell by John Tavares:
Brendan Ross Retweeted
John Tavares‏Verified account @91Tavares 23h23 hours ago

The last nine years have meant more to me than words can describe —
but I did my best.
Thank you.
https://playerstribu.ne/2KSHbzi

 

[rolf smitty]

Endless and Mindless banter regarding Willie Lochead on the Niagara boards Right now.
Something about him not returning to the Ice Dogs and that the Knights should give something for him to play at Western.

Going 1-12 in the OHL Championships will do that to some fans.

Carry on with the golf updates.

i think the comment was if the Knights (and Will) were interested, a trade would have to be arranged.

 

[rolf smitty]

i think the comment was if the Knights (and Will) were interested, a trade would have to be arranged.

and for the record,it's 1-8.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

This is a thread for London Knights fans, not a thread to troll Knights' fans. Knock it off or I will bean you with an unripe tomato.

 

[superdee]

Thank you Mr. Moderator. It gets a little sickening and old after a while.

 

[cub]

Moskal keeps it positive