REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 55-11-2-0. The Knights have dropped only one game in the playoffs, securing their second consecutive OHL championship. They aim to redeem last year’s painful Memorial Cup defeat to Saginaw. They defeated the Oshawa Generals in the finals 4 games to 1. Oshawa had a great team also which included the likes of Ben Danford, Andrew Gibson, Luca Marrelli, Colby Barlow, Calum Ritchie, and Bennett Senecke.
The London Knights are strong contenders for the 2025 Memorial Cup, given their dominant 55-11-2-0 regular season record and a near-flawless 16-1 playoff run to secure their second straight OHL title. Their roster, featuring standout players like Easton Cowan, who led the OHL playoffs in scoring for two consecutive years, and goaltender Austin Elliott with an impressive 51-2 record this season, positions them as favorites. The Knights’ depth, experience, and coaching under Dale Hunter, who has a history of building championship-caliber teams, give them a strong edge. However, they face a competitive field in Rimouski, including the Medicine Hat Tigers, Moncton Wildcats, and host Rimouski Océanic, with challenges like potential injuries or tight games potentially impacting their performance. Their motivation to avenge last year’s heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Saginaw in the Memorial Cup final could drive them to finish the job this time.
Analysts and fans on Twitter are optimistic about the Knights’ chances, with many predicting they’ll win the 2025 Memorial Cup. Multiple posts rank them first, citing their dominant season and key players like Cowan and Kasper Halttunen as reasons for their edge. For instance, @scottcwheeler and @AbsCoverage both predicted London to take the title over Moncton, Medicine Hat, and Rimouski, with @KGN_Insider also forecasting a Knights victory against Moncton. However, @WillSLaplante16 cautioned that while London has “unfinished business,” some players might struggle under pressure, and teams like Moncton could pose a threat if they play at full intensity. The consensus leans toward London as the team to beat, but the tournament’s competitive field is noted as one of the strongest in recent years.
Forwards
| # | Player | Born | Birthplace | HT | WT | OHL Draft | NHL Draft | NCAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #74 | Noah Aboflan (LW) | 2005 | Elliot Lake, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 192 | |||
| #86 | Denver Barkey (C/LW)“C” | 2005 | Newmarket, ON, CAN | 5’9″ | 154 | 21 London 1/16 | 23 Philadelphia 3/95 | |
| #34 | Cohen Bidgood (RW) | 2007 | Peterborough, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 185 | 23 London 7/138 | ||
| #11 | Ryder Boulton (F) | 2006 | Atlanta, GA, USA | 5’10” | 194 | |||
| #27 | Brody Cook (F) | 2007 | Birmingham, MI, USA | 5’11” | 170 | UMass | ||
| #24 | Jaxon Cover (LW) | 2008 | Aurora, ON, CAN | 6’2″ | 174 | 24 London 4/64 | ||
| #7 | Easton Cowan (C/W)“A” | 2005 | Strathroy, ON, CAN | 5’11” | 185 | 21 London 2/25 | 23 Toronto 1/28 | |
| #12 | Kasper Halttunen (RW/LW) | 2005 | Helsinki, FIN | 6’4″ | 205 | 22 London 1/41 IMP | 23 San Jose 2/36 | |
| #10 | Eddie Hickson (C) | 2008 | Essex, ON, CAN | 5’9″ | 163 | 24 London 7/142 | ||
| #13 | Jacob Julien (C)“A” | 2004 | London, ON, CAN | 6’4″ | 181 | 21 London 3/41 | 23 Winnipeg 5/146 | |
| #47 | Blake Montgomery (LW) | 2005 | Annapolis, MD, USA | 6’4″ | 196 | 21 London 9/176 | 24 Ottawa 4/117 | Wisconsin |
| #73 | William Nicholl (C/LW) | 2006 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 183 | 22 London 3/52 | 24 Edmonton 7/196 | |
| #44 | Jesse Nurmi (LW) | 2005 | Valkeala, FIN | 5’11” | 176 | 24 London 1/58 IMP | 23 Islanders 4/113 | |
| #23 | Sam O’Reilly (C) | 2006 | Toronto, ON, CAN | 6’1″ | 190 | 22 London 2/37 | 24 Edmonton 1/32 | |
| #92 | Noah Read (F) | 2007 | St. Catharines, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 170 | 23 London 10/188 | ||
| #90 | Landon Sim (C/RW)“A” | 2004 | New Glasgow, NS, CAN | 5’11” | 174 | 20 London 3/46 | 22 St. Louis 6/184 | |
| #55 | Rene Van Bommel (LW) | 2006 | Strathroy, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 181 | 22 London 11/217 | ||
| #14 | Evan Van Gorp (LW/C) | 2006 | Watford, ON, CAN | 5’10” | 165 | Maine |
Defencemen
| # | Player | Born | Birthplace | HT | WT | OHL Draft | NHL Draft | NCAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #17 | Cam Allen | 2005 | Toronto, ON, CAN | 6’0 | 196 | 21 Guelph 1/3 | 23 Washington 5/136 | |
| #59 | Oliver Bonk (D)“A” | 2005 | Ottawa, ON, CAN | 6’2″ | 198 | 21 London 2/26 | 23 Philadelphia 1/22 | |
| #2 | Henry Brzustewicz (D) | 2007 | Washington, MI, USA | 6’1″ | 194 | 23 Ottawa 1/22 | ||
| #3 | Sam Dickinson (D) | 2006 | Toronto, ON, CAN | 6’3″ | 209 | 22 Niagara 1/22 | 24 San Jose 1/11 | |
| #67 | PJ Fagan (D) | 2007 | Brampton, ON, CAN | 6’0″ | 205 | 23 London 2/63 | ||
| #4 | Andoni Fimis (D) | 2006 | Richmond Hill, ON, CAN | 6’2″ | 179 | 22 Kingston 5/99 | Vermont | |
| #49 | Liam Spencer (D) | 2006 | London, ON, CAN | 6’4″ | 214 | 22 Mississauga 4/76 | ||
| #51 | Jared Woolley (D) | 2006 | Port Hope, ON, CAN | 6’5″ | 207 | 24 Los Angeles 6/164 |
Goalies
| # | Player | Born | Birthplace | HT | WT | OHL Draft | NHL Draft | NCAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #31 | Austin Elliot (G) | 2004 | Strathmore, AB, CAN | 6’2 | 185 | *19 Saskatoon 12/261 | UMass-Lowell | |
| #78 | Alexei Medvedev (G) | 2007 | St. Petersburg, RUS | 6’1 | 165 | 23 London 2/48 IMP |
Austin Elliott joined the OHL’s London Knights after being waived by the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, where he had started the 2024-25 season with a 3-0 record. The Blades, facing an overage player limit, opted to keep younger goaltender Evan Gardner, a Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick with strong playoff performance the previous year, as their starter. This decision was influenced by the WHL’s tendency to prioritize younger goaltenders over 20-year-olds like Elliott, as he noted that teams in the WHL were less willing to take on overage goaltenders. After being placed on waivers, no WHL team claimed him, allowing him to be picked up by the OHL’s Barrie Colts via CHL waivers. The London Knights then quickly traded for him, sending a 14th-round pick in 2026 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2027 to Barrie. The Knights, needing a replacement for their overage goaltender Owen Willmore, saw Elliott’s experience and winning record (58-14-5-1 over four WHL seasons) as a perfect fit for their championship-contending roster. Elliott himself stated that once the Knights reached out, it was a “done deal,” drawn to their reputation for success and the opportunity to compete for a title.