'Playing really well right now': Could 2025 be even better for London Knights?

As hats litter the ice, Landon Sim leads the line to the bench after scoring his third goal for the London Knights Tuesday in a win over the Sarnia Sting (Source:Morgan Roobroeck/Wild Ave Photography)

The London Knights are hoping 2025 will see them finish what they started in 2024.

The Knights beat rival Sarnia 9-3 Tuesday, to finish a stellar calendar year.

Landon Sim had three goals, Denver Barkey racked up five assists, and Sam O’Reilly had a goal and three assists in front of a home crowd at Canada Life Place in the first of their annual back-to-back contests with the Sting.

Goalie Austin Elliott won again, improving to 15-0 in the Knights net.

“The guys are playing really well right now, playing hard and it shows on the ice,” says Rick Steadman, Knights assistant coach.

Heading into the new year they are the top team in the Ontario Hockey League and ranked number one in the Canadian Hockey League.

They are currently still producing victories despite having five players away at the World Junior Hockey Championship.

“We've had a bunch of guys that have stepped up to play big, and it all starts with our captain (Barkey) leading the way for us,” says Steadman.

When the five (Easton Cowan, Sam Dickinson, Oliver Bonk, Kasper Halttunen and Jesse Nurmi) do return, this Knights roster will have 13 NHL drafted players. Steadman expects it to take a lit bit to become readjusted to the OHL game and for the team to gel.

“It could take a little bit of time to get back together again. make sure everybody falls into their spot,” he adds.

“Just going out there playing good games. We want to play hard. We want to play fast pace, and if we do that, good things have happened to us. It’s not so much about end results, it’s about getting ready for games and playing hard during those games and good things will happen.”

This past year was a big one for the Knights who won the OHL title and came within one goal of winning the Memorial Cup. Can they top that in 2025?

“We are definitely trying to make sure that we're ready to play in tough games and in hard situations, in games that are going to be tight,” says Steadman.

“We want to be ready for whatever pops up, whether that’s four on three, six on five, up or down a goal. We just want to be ready for all those situations that when they come up the playoffs, we’re ready to rock with them.”