Montgomery 2.0? Blake is flashing major skills

How hot has Blake Montgomery been? Try 38 points in his last 22 games (1.73 PPG). His transition to the OHL is complete, and he’s eyeing a championship to match his brother’s 2024 win.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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It’s safe to say Blake Montgomery has found his stride in the Ontario Hockey League.

The Ottawa Senators prospect has emerged as one of the top scorers for the London Knights over the last two months. After a relatively quiet first couple of weeks with the team, he turned a corner, found his game in late November, and hasn’t lost sight of it since.

“I just had to get used to playing a little differently and get my timing right,” Montgomery told Gameday London. “There’s a lot more skill in this league, and it’s much faster and technically sound with systems. Pretty much everyone out there can make a play, which can make for some challenging matchups."

Montgomery has proved to be challenging for his opponents. In his last 22 games, the 19-year-old has 19 goals and 38 points, only failing to pick up a point twice during that stretch. And just like that, he’s fifth on the team in scoring (39 points in 29 games) — and fourth in scoring per game (1.31 per contest), trailing only Sam Dickinson, Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan.

He began the year eyeing a different challenge, in his second season with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. He wanted to maintain his college eligibility, but that limited his options. That is, until a landmark decision came down from the NCAA that allows OHL players to keep their eligibility.

From there, Montgomery says, it was an easy choice to come to London.

“It was perfect timing, really, as I was figuring out where I wanted to play next and this came about. Once the ruling came through, it was a no-brainer. It all worked out nicely.”

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

Keeping the college option open was important for the American-born forward, in large part due to his uncle, Mark Montgomery, who won a Rose Bowl on the gridiron with the University of Wisconsin in 1994.

“I really liked the facility and the program, and once he got word that I was visiting Wisconsin he told me all about it, just the feel about it and how he loved it. I could really tell what he meant when I visited the campus.”

Speaking of the Montgomery family, Blake is, of course, not the first to play for the Knights. His brother, Bryce, spent three seasons in London and is currently playing in the Carolina Hurricanes farm system.

The younger Montgomery says he got to watch his brother play for the Knights on a couple of occasions — but only when the team was on the road in Michigan. He didn’t get the full experience of a London Knights home game until he put on the green and gold for himself.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

“I joked with the guys that it sort of looks like a green screen looking out at the crowd. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people at a junior hockey game.”

Another thing the brothers share is billets, as Blake is living with the same family that Bryce did during his time in London.

Does the family have any good stories to share about his older brother? “Mostly about how much he could eat,” Montgomery laughed, adding that his brother helped him prepare for the move.

“He told me what I could expect and what to prepare for. He said he wished he could go back and play for London again, and I see why.”