THE OHL’S LONDON KNIGHTS have become one of the hockey world’s most proficient producers of top prospects since brothers Dale and Mark Hunter took over the franchise two decades ago. Their pro-style operation has attracted the best talent in the league’s territory, and high-end European imports have steadily signed on over the years to hone their skills with the Knights.
Once the Hunters arrived, a previously moribund franchise – the 1995-96 Knights, who posted a 3-60-3 record, were one of the worst teams in major-junior history – began to transform, and elite players noticed. Americans such as Patrick Kane, Matthew Tkachuk (who had previously committed to NCAA Notre Dame) and John Carlson came on board, and the Knights became a power.
Last year, London lost in the OHL final. This season, the…
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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Future Watch 2024