OHL-champ Knights at Memorial Cup: Can they win it all?

They dominated their OHL Final against the Oshawa Generals in a four-game sweep. Now, the Knights shoot for a third Memorial Cup in franchise history. What’s the path to get there? Are they the team to beat?

The London Knights celebrate winning the OHL championship in Oshawa Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Photo: OHL Images).

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It doesn’t get much more dominant than that.

The London Knights scored 31 goals en route to a four-game sweep of the Oshawa Generals to win the franchise’s fifth OHL championship (J. Robertson Memorial Cup).

Easton Cowan followed up his Red Tilson Award as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player during the regular season by winning the Playoff MVP as well, becoming the first player to accomplish both in the same season since Mitch Marner in 2016 (Corey Perry also accomplished the feat in 2005). Cowan led all players in postseason scoring with 34 points — 15 of which came against Oshawa in the Finals.

“It’s a great feeling to get that recognition, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Cowan told Gameday London. “We all go to war for each other each and every night.”

What’s next? The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect says the focus now is entirely on the next championship …

“We just have to keep building. We worked every day this season to get better and closer as a team. It’s been nice to have a couple of days to enjoy this (OHL championship) with the guys, but now we’re ready to get going in Saginaw.”

Cowan will enter this week’s Memorial Cup having tallied points in 16 of London’s 18 OHL playoff games. The Knights went 16-2 overall in the postseason, with those only two losses coming against this year’s Memorial Cup host, the Saginaw Spirit.

Kasper Halttunen set the benchmark for goals by an import player in a single postseason, scoring 17 in total — eight in the championship series, including back-to-back hat tricks. The Knights averaged 4.89 goals per game, the most of any CHL team in the playoffs.

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OHL Playoffs: OHL Final — London Knights vs. Oshawa Generals (London wins series 4-0)

Game 1: London 8 vs. Oshawa 1
Game 2: London 9 vs. Oshawa 1
Game 3: London 7 @ Oshawa 6 (OT2)
Game 4: London 7 @ Oshawa 1

Easton Cowan was named winner of the Wayne Gretzky ‘99’ Trophy as Playoff MVP. (Photo: OHL Images).

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It was a much different finals experience this year than last, when the Knights fell to Peterborough in six games. Oliver Bonk says the team never forgot what it was like to come so close last season, but ultimately fall short of their goal.

“It definitely motivated us for this year. We have a lot of guys back from last year’s team who know how crappy it felt to lose, so I think it really pushed us to go all the way this year.”

Denver Barkey says building off that experience was critical to helping get them over the hump. Having very good goaltending, a talented defensive corps and strong forward group certainly helped, but Barkey says a team cohesiveness really lifted the squad.

“I think the big thing I noticed was just how tight of a group we are and how every guy has bought into their role, whether it’s playing on the fourth line or playing a shutdown role or scoring for the team,” Barkey said. “I think everyone’s found what they’re good at, and everyone has bought in. I think that’s the big reason why we’ve had so much success this year.”

And when the final buzzer went to end Game 4 and officially make the Knights 2023-24 OHL champions?

“It was obviously a bit of a relief, but it was just a huge accomplishment for every guy. I know how hard everyone, including myself, has worked all year to win an OHL championship,” Barkey said. “To see the look on everyone’s faces … all my teammates and the staff … it was a pretty surreal moment.”

Michael Simpson became the third goaltender to win back-to-back OHL championships with different teams, and the first to do so on teams in both conferences. The Londoner won with Peterborough last year (against the Knights) and then won again this year with his hometown London squad.

One player who returned from last year’s team but had his season cut short by injury was Ethan MacKinnon, who stepped away from the game due to concussions. He’s been with the team in an advisory role, and he was on the ice for the championship celebration. In fact, he was the first Knight to hoist the J. Robertson Cup.

Bonk says that’s a reflection of just how significant MacKinnon remains with the team despite not being out on the ice.

“The fans don’t see him much, but we see him every single day helping the guys and encouraging us. He’s a big part of this win.”

Speaking of the fans, Bonk says that although he was already well aware of London’s passionate fan base, he was blown away by the support this postseason, especially after clinching the both the Western Conference, and the OHL championship on the road.

“It’s wild when you get back at 3am and the fans are there cheering and high-fiving you. “We knew we had some passionate fans, but it’s been unreal to see the support.”

(Photo: OHL Images).

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At the Memorial Cup, London brings with them an historically efficient powerplay, as they set an OHL record with a 32.6% percent success rate during the regular season — and improved that even further in the playoffs with a 36.9% mark. Cowan says the players on the man-advantage all have a great feel for each other and use that chemistry to find openings.

“We all use each other pretty well, we can all move the puck, and we can all put the puck in the net as well,” he said. “We have two really good powerplay (units). We have a lot of depth on this team, and we can use anybody in any situation.”

In their quest to win a CHL championship, London will face the only team who beat them in the postseason (two games), as well as two unfamiliar foes in Moose Jaw and Drummondville.

“You do your video, and you pre-scout the team as best you can, getting to know their top guys and what every player on that team is good at,” said Barkey. “But I think the biggest thing in this tournament is you gotta have a short-term memory. Maybe you have a tough period, but you just have to go back to the dressing room, regroup as a team, and get ready for the next period.”

Cowan and Bonk both represented Canada at the World Juniors, and Cowan says the experience of the bright lights of that tournament should help him adjust nicely when things get underway in Saginaw this weekend. In fact, he added that his World Junior experience, which ended with a quarterfinal loss, is added fuel as he enters the Memorial Cup.

“We lost, and that feeling sucked,” he said. “I’ve hung on to that feeling. I know what it's like to lose and the disappointment, so I’m going to try and carry that experience into Saginaw.”

Landon Sim and Kaleb Lawrence will both be back in the Knights’ lineup after serving five-game suspensions that forced both players out of the OHL championship.

This will be London’s sixth Memorial Cup appearance since 2005, the most by any CHL team in the last 20 years. The Knights boast 10 NHL prospects in their lineup, the most of any team in this year’s tournament.

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THE REST OF THE PACK

Saginaw Spirit (Host)

This is the first ever Memorial Cup appearance for the Spirit, the host team. They’re looking to become the third US-based team to win the tournament. Saginaw set franchise records in both wins (50) and points (102) this season. They’re led by offensive draft-eligible defenseman Zayne Parekh, whose 96 points was the most among CHL blueliners. Michael Misa has also played a prominent role for the Spirit, despite not being eligible for the NHL draft until 2025. This squad has nine NHL prospects, including Rodwin Dionicio, who led all defenders in playoff scoring with 17 points. He recently signed with the Anaheim Ducks. Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck has experience in the tournament with Peterborough last season. The Saint John Sea Dogs were the last hosts to win the tournament in 2022 (the Windsor Spitfires did the same in 2017). The Spits are the most recent OHL team to win the tournament.

Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL Champions)

The Warriors swept the Portland Winterhawks to win the franchise’s first Western Hockey League (WHL) championship. Moose Jaw has won 26 of its last 33 games, suffering only three regulation losses since Feb. 23. This is a squad that has seven NHL prospects on the roster, including their big trio of Jagger Firkus (Seattle Kraken), Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Brayden Yager (Pittsburgh Penguins), who finished top three in playoff scoring. The Edmonton Oil Kings were the last WHL team to win the tournament in 2014.

Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL Champions)

This is the fourth appearance in the tournament for Drummondville — although the first since 2009. They swept top-seeded Baie-Comeau to win their second QMJHL championship. The Voltigeurs averaged 4.5 goals during the regular season and 4.37 in the playoffs. Three players on Drummondville won a Memorial Cup with Quebec last season. The Voltigeurs franchise is still searching for its first Memorial Cup championship. They’ve reached the final once, in 1991, when they fell to Spokane. The last four Memorial Cup champs have come out of the QMJHL. The Volts are looking to keep that streak going.