Knight Watch: Post-deadline, new-look London, Windsor set to square off

The Knights had a quiet trade deadline after acquiring pair of OHL champs from Hamilton. With their roster locked in, can they win the West? They’ll get a big test Sunday vs. loaded-up Windsor. Columnist Jake Jeffrey has the latest …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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The dust has settled following the OHL trade deadline, and although some of the biggest fish may have landed elsewhere, the Knights were able to improve their squad — while not compromising the future.

London was quiet at the actual deadline, on Tuesday, and it turned out their biggest deal was made last week when they acquired OHL champions Ryan Humphrey and Ryan Winterton from the Hamilton Bulldogs. Both have already scored their first goal as Knights and been offensive contributors since joining the squad.

The Knights looked to be interested in a couple of other players as the deadline approached — namely, Brett Harrison and Shane Wright, both of whom landed in Windsor. The price tag was a little too steep for London’s liking, though (Oliver Bonk may have been the sticking point in a potential deal with Kingston). While Bonk was rumoured to be part of a potential deal, the Knights’ front office stressed this week that the young defenseman is very much part of the team’s future.

Bonk is the lone London Knight heading to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He will play for Team White at the game in Langley, British Columbia on January 25. The rookie defenseman is one of 15 OHLers invited to the game.

With solid goaltending and a very deep blue line, the big need for London was scoring depth and experience. They got that with the additions of Humphrey and Winterton. For a team that has lost just three times in their last 24 games, you don’t want to rock the boat too much and make a trade for the sake of making a trade and risk upsetting chemistry.

London did part ways with a pair of forwards a day before the deadline, trading Nicholas Yearwood to Sudbury, and sending former first round pick Ben Bujold to Hamilton.

They also sent first round pick Luca Testa to the Bulldogs last week as part of the Humphrey and Winterton trade. They likely would have held on to Testa if they didn’t acquire another first round pick earlier this season in Sam Dickinson. This way, they at least hold onto one top prospect from the 2022 OHL draft. (Info on how other teams shaped up at the trade deadline can be found below in the ‘Around the OHL’ segment).

On the ice, the Knights were able to get four out of a possible six points during a busy weekend, although they saw their season-high nine-game win streak snapped in the Soo on Sunday. London had an eight-gamer in late November/early December.

Ryan Winterton, recently acquired from Hamilton, scored his first points as a London Knight (a goal and an assist) in his second game with the team Jan. 7 in Saginaw. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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Brett Brochu allowed five goals in Sunday’s loss, the first time he’s given up that many since a mid-November loss to Flint. It was also the first time London dropped a road game since losing 7-2 in Owen Sound on October 19. Their current road record is 13-3 (Sunday’s loss also snapped an impressive 12-game road winning streak).

As far as the CHL Top Ten Rankings are concerned, London is one of three OHL teams listed, and they came in at number six this week (the Ottawa 67’s were No. 4, with the North Bay Battalion at No. 9).

Co-captains Sean McGurn and George Diaco continue to duke it out for the team lead in points. With a pair of assists Sunday, McGurn took the narrow lead with 47 points, two more than Diaco’s 45. Both are on pace for more than 80 points this season (and could reach 90 if they get hot down the stretch).

On Thursday, the Knights announced the 2023 class of the Don Brankley Hall of Fame, as three more franchise greats will be honoured in a pregame ceremony February 8. This year’s class includes Dan Maloney, Rick Green and Dennis Wideman. All three players went on to have successful NHL careers.

Maloney put up 106 points over two seasons with the Knights in the late-60’s; Green played parts of four seasons in London, recording 150 points; and Widemen also played parts of four seasons in London as well, leading all OHL defensemen in goals in 2002 and 2004 (Wideman is currently an Assistant Coach with the Kitchener Rangers).

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UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Friday (Jan. 13, 7:00pm) vs. Guelph Storm (16-18-4-1, 3rd in Midwest)

The Storm made some minor acquisitions at the deadline while parting ways with some top players. Goaltender Patrick Leaver came over from Oshawa, while defenseman Chandler Romeo was acquired from Sarnia and Jesse Fishman joins the club from Kitchener. Guelph doesn’t have the firepower they once did with Sasha Pastujov and Danny Zhilkin in the lineup, but this Storm squad is still battling for a playoff spot with several players looking to make the most of their new opportunities. Keep an eye out for former London Junior Knight Jett Luchanko, Guelph’s first-round pick in last year’s OHL draft.

Sunday (Jan. 15, 2:00pm) @ Windsor Spitfires (23-9-3-1, 1st in West)

London will get their first taste of the new-look Windsor Spitfires this weekend, with Shane Wright, Aidan Castle, Jacob Holmes and Londoner Brett Harrison all expected to be in the lineup. Sunday’s matchup will be just the second meeting of the season between these teams, so they’ll get a decent look at one another between now and playoff time. Matthew Maggio leads the Spitfires in scoring with 28 goals and 51 points.

A LOOK AT THE LOCALS

Bryce McConnell-Barker was the OHL’s Player of the Week, scoring four goals and recording eight points for the Soo Greyhounds. He leads the team in scoring with 47 points in 37 games.

Jordan D’Intino scored twice for the Soo Greyhounds in Sunday’s win over London, giving him 15 goals on the season. Six of those have come in his last seven games.

Brady Stonehouse has four goals in his last three contests, giving him 22 on the season for the Ottawa 67’s.

Charlie Robertson will suit up for Team Red at the upcoming CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in BC. The former London Junior Knight is the lone OHL netminder at the top prospect game. He has six wins with the North Bay Battalion this season.

KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS

8 -  On Sunday, George Diaco was held pointless for the first time in eight games while Sean McGurn had a pair of assists to extend his own point streak to eight.

0 - Zach Bowen did not allow a goal Saturday, picking up his first OHL shutout in Saginaw. The backup netminder made 27 saves for his seventh straight win.

6 - London has scored six shorthanded goals this season, sixth-most among OHL teams. Max McCue is the lone Knight with more than one, as he’s scored twice this year while a man down.

100 - Logan Mailloux is the first Knight to reach triple digits in shots on goal. Second on the team in shots? Another defensemen, Oliver Bonk, who’s fired 82 shots on net. 

12 - London had won 12 straight road games before dropping Sunday’s contest in Sault Ste. Marie. It was just their third road loss of the year. The Knights’ .813 road winning percentage is the best in the OHL.

AROUND THE OHL

Looking around the Western Conference ...

Windsor and Sarnia both made significant improvements to their already solid rosters. Along with London, they appear to be the teams to beat in the West. Despite currently being out of the playoff picture, Kitchener also added some pieces as they look to get back into a playoff position — and perhaps shake things up a bit in the postseason.

Saginaw is still strong, but they traded the league’s top offensive defensemen to Ottawa, and they seem to have their sights on next season — and a potential Memorial Cup bid. But they won’t be rollovers this season, either.

Over in the East ...

The Ottawa 67’s added to their already dominant lineup, acquiring two of the league’s top three scorers in Logan Morrision (from Hamilton) and Pavel Mintyukov (from Saginaw). Peterborough also bolstered their lineup. They added World Junior Champ Brennan Othmann earlier in the season, and also picked up Owen Beck from Mississauga, as well as Avery Hayes and Gavin White from Hamilton.

The Steelheads elected to be sellers, parting ways with their top players while acquiring a handful of top prospects in the process. Angus McDonell, Porter Martone and Jack Van Volsen are all former first-round picks. Barrie, meanwhile, made some modest additions in Braden Hache and Tyler Savard, while getting Brandt Clarke back from the NHL following his gold medal win at the World Juniors. North Bay remains strong. They made the majority of their moves earlier in the season — particularly, when they picked up Josh Bloom, Pasquale Zito and Brayden Hislop.