Knight Watch: London dropped the first two games of their new season last weekend, including one in overtime; Some troops are back, including O’Reilly, Brzustewicz, Woolley; It’s Brampton at home Friday, Erie on the road Saturday.
The Knights will have some reinforcements in the lineup this weekend as they search for their first win of the season. London was without several regulars as they opened up the 2025-26 campaign with losses to Owen Sound and Windsor last weekend.
Sam O’Reilly is expected to make his season debut just days after scoring a goal in a preseason game with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Noah Read is also back, from Anaheim Ducks camp, and the two forwards should provide a boost to an offence that scored just three times in a pair of losses to start the year. Jaxon Cover scored his first OHL goal, while Cohen Bidgood and Logan Hawery also found the back of the net.
Aleksei Medvedev is expected to see action after being returned from Vancouver Canucks camp. Sebestian Gatto was very sharp in his first two OHL games, but look for Medvedev to start one game — if not both — this weekend.
The Knights will get a major boost on the blueline this weekend, as both Henry Brzustewicz and Jared Woolley have been reassigned by the Los Angeles Kings. Both are expected to play major roles on London’s back end this season. Linus Funck was also returned from the Colorado Avalanche, but he’s still recovering from an upper body injury he suffered at camp, so his Knights debut may have to wait.
A young London team lacked discipline at times last weekend, and it cost them. Both game-winning goals came while the Knights were down a man, including Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Owen Sound where the Attack tied the game and later won it in overtime with powerplay goals. London was shorthanded eight times in that game, one of which was a five-minute major.
The slow start to the season isn’t exactly uncommon for London. Last year, they lost three of their first four games before winning 15 of their next 16.
There was a jarring moment in Saturday’s game in Windsor. After the Spitfires scored a shorthanded goal in the second period, the glass broke behind the Knights’ bench. Video shows the glass falling on head coach Dale Hunter and a couple of players. The glass was cleaned up and replaced, and fortunately there were no injuries from the incident.
UPCOMING GAMEDAYS
Friday (Sept. 26, 7:00pm) vs Brampton (1-1-0-0, 6th in Eastern Conference)
The Steelheads lost a lot of their firepower from last season. Londoner Manuel Amado has made the Steelheads out of camp after playing with the London Junior Knights U18 AAA team last season. He’ll be wearing number 42 for Brampton. Gabe Chiarot (Vancouver Canucks) and Jakub Fibigr (Seattle Kraken) have both rejoined Brampton from their respective NHL camps and are expected to make their season debuts this weekend. Former Knight Zach Bowen has started both games for Brampton so far. He came over in an offseason trade from Peterborough.
Saturday (Sept. 27, 7:00pm) at Erie (0-2-0-0, 9th in Western Conference)
The Knights and Otters both enter the weekend winless with just three goals scored through their first two games. Both teams look much different than when they met in the second round of last year’s postseason. Ilderton’s Andrew Willis is in his first full season with Erie and wears number 29. Erie’s biggest strength is likely in net, as import Noah Erliden returns for his overage season. He was fantastic during the playoffs against London before an injury ended his season.
A LOOK AT THE LOCALS
A couple local players had a great start to their overage season. Flint’s Matthew Wang had a goal and two assists in the Firebirds’ season-opening win, while Peterborough’s Brennan Faulkner scored twice in the Petes’ season-opening win.
Ryan Roobroeck is among the first handful of names announced for the CHL Top Prospect Challenge. The former London Junior Knight is expected to be an early first round pick in the upcoming NHL draft.
Mitchell’s Carson Harmer rejoins the Saginaw Spirit this week following training camp with the Utah Mammoth.
AROUND THE OHL
– Sixteen-year-old forwards Ryerson Edgar (Niagara IceDogs) and Thomas Vandenberg (Ottawa 67’s) both scored hat tricks last weekend, which were obviously the first of their very young OHL careers.
– The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), which was recently named the official development league to the OHL, has rebranded to the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL).
– Knights prospect Brenden Gerber was named the OHL GOHL prospect of the week, posting three goals and 11 points over his first four games with the Elmira Sugar Kings.
