Junior Knights competing against province’s best

The OHL Cup is back after a two-year hiatus, and the London Jr. Knights are hoping to make some noise this week in the biggest tournament of the year.

The Jr. Knights went 30-7-1 in the regular season, finishing second to the Brantford 99ers in the ALLIANCE league. (Photo: Wild Ave Photography).

* * *

After a two-year absence, the OHL Cup is back.

Scouts and team personnel are converging on Scotiabank Pond this week for the tournament that features 20 of the province’s top Under 16 teams (as well as one American squad).

Last year there was no season, and the 2020 tournament was axed the week before it was scheduled to get underway when COVID first shut the world down in March that year.

But it’s back. And the tournament isn’t just a popular one for scouts, it’s something the young players have looked forward to throughout their minor hockey journey.

“They’re really excited, and they should be, it's a fun time and a fun tournament to be a part of.” said London Jr. Knights head coach Rob Crowther.

With a 30-7-1 record this season, the Jr. Knights were one point shy of winning the ALLIANCE regular season, finishing second to the Brantford 99ers. Now, they’re playing their best hand at the 20-team OHL Cup, with their first action early Wednesday morning (8:30am vs. Northern Ontario Hockey Association).

“I've never been around a group that is consistently ready for practice 15 minutes early. Even if they know it’s going to be a bag skate or a tough practice, they are ready to go,” Crowther said.

“We’ve had a really strict routine throughout the year of what we’re doing, with how we prepare and what to expect, and they’ve matured a lot throughout the year.”

London is ranked ninth heading into the competition. As part of the Shanahan Division, they’ll also face the Vaughan Kings (12pm Thursday), York Simcoe Express (8:30am Friday) and Don Mills Flyers (1:15pm Friday) in preliminary play.

London has a win this year over Don Mills at the International Silver Stick earlier this season, but other than that their opponents will be relatively unfamiliar.

(Photo: Wild Ave Photography).

“We’re really trying to focus on our game, we’re worried about us and what we can do out on the ice,” said Crowther. “We’re fortunate to have good goaltending, we’re fortunate to have great defense, and we’re very fortunate to have a great defense coach.”

That assistant coach is former NHLer and London Knights captain Danny Syvret.

Crowther says a big reason for the team’s success in their own end this year has been because of Syvret’s work with the players.

“He's got a lot of patience, he’s well-prepared and invested in this team, and he really enjoys being there for the guys. It’s not something you necessarily see from someone who played at the high level that he did.”

As big as the OHL Cup is for the players, it’s a big one for scouts as well.

The Jr. Knights have a handful of players on the OHL draft radar, including defensemen Brodie McConnell-Barker and forward Jett Luchanko, who have both caught the attention of central scouting ahead of the priority selection in April.

Keeping a young player focused with so much else going on can be a challenge, Crowther says. He tells his team to make an impact on the ice and be someone the scouts won’t soon forget.

“When the scouts get back into their car to go back to wherever they have to go, make sure you’re the one they’re thinking about. You want to be the one that sticks out,” he said. “Whether you’ve got a good engine, whether you’re intelligent, whether you pay attention to details in your own end, be the kind of player they remember on their drive home.”

The Jr. Knights also feature two underage players in Ethan Weir and Ryan Roobroeck. Despite being born in 2007, both have looked solid at the U16 level, though neither will be eligible for this year’s draft (unless they are granted exceptional status).

Crowther says the pair plays and acts well beyond their age.

“When you talk to them you feel like you’re talking to young men, they are just so coachable. They always receive the message from the coaching staff, which is a real good quality in a young athlete.”