Why this could be the second-best London Knights team ever

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That is shaping as much as be one of many biggest London Knights seasons within the franchise’s storied historical past.

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The defending Ontario Hockey League champs are 27-6 and atop the standings on the Christmas break. They’re ranked No. 1 within the Canadian Hockey League and are the mid-point favourites to carry the Memorial Cup trophy this spring at Rimouski, Que.

The Knights reeled off a 19-game win streak via the autumn however essentially the most promising signal was what occurred after it ended Dec. 6 towards Oshawa: London received 4 of its subsequent 5 video games and beat all the opposite Western Convention contenders – Windsor, Kitchener, Erie – whereas lacking Canadian world junior gamers Easton Cowan, Oliver Bonk and Sam Dickinson.

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That proved this roster has the flexibility to beat the lack of star expertise and maintain rolling. It additionally advised the Spitfires, Rangers and Otters they higher usher in some extra assist in the event that they hope to compete with London within the playoffs.

If not, it’s going to take a loaded-up Jap Convention energy – Barrie, Brampton, Oshawa or Niagara – to knock London off its pedestal. We’ll know by the Jan. 10 commerce deadline in the event that they did sufficient.

STACKING UP AGAINST HISTORY

The Knights are on tempo to win 54 video games, which might be second in membership historical past behind the 2004-05 Memorial Cup champs.

One of many members of that ‘Crew of the Century’ was requested what he considered this yr’s version up to now: “Unreal,” he texted.

Their final place in historical past, after all, shall be dictated by how they carry out within the playoffs – the 04-05 workforce, the 2015-16 Memorial Cup champs and final yr’s crew all completed with 16-2 information on the way in which to OHL titles. The present roster’s street report is ridiculous (14-2) however the energy play success price (28.5 per cent) is just not fairly on the similar stage as final yr’s historic run (32.6 per cent). However there’s nonetheless time to vary that and the personnel is principally the identical.

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THE ALL-STAR CAST

The Knights fell into some early luck when reigning OHL MVP Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs) and Kasper Halttunen (Sharks) had been returned for his or her 19-year-old seasons.

You throw in Denver Barkey (Flyers), Oliver Bonk (Flyers) and Sam Dickinson (Sharks), and London boasts 5 of the highest 20 gamers within the league. In addition they have an eye-popping 13 NHL-drafted skaters on their roster.

They changed No. 1 goaltender Michael Simpson with the tandem of over-ager Austin Elliott (14-0 report) and rookie Alexei Medvedev, one of many prime goalie prospects in junior hockey, and it’s labored. The blue line is just not but on the stage of final yr’s prime 4 – Bonk, Dickinson, Isaiah George, Jackson Edward – however the additions of Cam Allen from Guelph and free-agent signing Andoni Fimis are a giant assist.

THE ‘MAGIC’ FORMULA

Each one in all London’s 5 league championship groups shared a particular bond. They beloved coming to the rink and being collectively. That ‘glue’ intangible follows practically each successful membership.

The youthful gamers need to respect the veterans however the vets additionally need to make the rookies and sophomores really feel like a part of the group. Logan Hawery, the Knights’ rookie first-round ahead, thought that crucial step developed early in his half-season with the workforce.

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“It begins with off the ice and the way we bond away from the rink,” the 16-year-old mentioned. “I believe we’ve performed that actually effectively. That results in the good things on the ice.”

It reveals.

Over-ager Jacob Julien and Lawery attached on an exquisite purpose in Erie final week and displayed some straightforward chemistry.

“He’s only a implausible participant,” Julien mentioned of Hawery. “He’s actually good and straightforward to work with. He makes the straightforward performs and a few fancy ones, proper? He was actually good within the defensive zone and makes it straightforward breaking the puck out and getting in on the defensive facet.”

An older participant’s confidence in a rookie simply breeds extra good feeling. This Knights group is aware of what it takes to win and so they maintain proving it.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Cowan has recorded some extent in 56 straight regular-season video games so his reliability issue is off the charts.

Dickinson leads the workforce in scoring as a defenceman and is never denied on the scoresheet.

Elliott hasn’t misplaced but in web and Landon Sim brings the identical up-tempo vitality each single outing. These are the plain ones.

However the great thing about this Knights squad is that they don’t depend on a handful of world junior stars and prime NHL picks to get it performed.

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Positive, they’ve loads of these however head coach Dale Hunter finds inventive methods to get essentially the most manufacturing out of each participant.

That’s what made the 2004-05 workforce such a successful pressure and this workforce shares a whole lot of these qualities. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if GM Mark Hunter makes extra additions earlier than the commerce deadline. He doesn’t actually need to – not with Allen’s arrival and extremely expert Senators prospect Blake Montgomery adapting so effectively up entrance to the main junior sport.

You possibly can financial institution on Islanders decide Jesse Nurmi’s enchancment as soon as he returns from world juniors with Finland and Halttunen’s private manufacturing will clearly ramp up when he returns, too. It’s clear this can be a memorable Knights workforce.

Now, the one factor left to do is see if they’ll replicate final yr’s success – and take it one sport additional.

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