It’s a yearly conversation when it comes to the NHL Draft and organizations that continue to filter top-end talent into the league, but the London Knights seem to always be amidst that conversation.
From Patrick Kane and Corey Perry to Rick Nash and Mitch Marner, organizationally, the Knights have been praised for their ability to get players ready for the next level — highlighting a class of their own in recent memory.
This season, with the 2023 NHL Draft right around the corner, the conversation hasn’t changed. Once again, there are a few Knights’ players set to go in the first few rounds of the draft with nothing but praise for how the organization has prepared them.
Knights Littered Throughout Draft Again in 2023
There are three players that stand out when it comes this year’s draft who’ve donned the Knights’ green and gold. Among those names are Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan who all played significant roles on the Knights during their 2022-23 run to the OHL Final.
On top of that, there could be another name added to that list at some point as Kasper Halttunen is another name to keep an eye on at the 2023 NHL Draft — the 41st pick in the 2022 CHL Import Draft with his North American rights held by those same Knights.
While, unlike years past, there’s no guarantee that a Knights’ player will be selected in the first round of the upcoming draft, there is some consideration that Bonk could be an option in the second half of the first round.
Behind him, Barkey and Cowan could go in the second and third rounds, respectively, which would top off another strong class of Knights players to be selected to NHL clubs. At some point, you have to wonder how much this particular junior team plays into players’ transition in the NHL through the draft.
Knights’ Culture Creating Pro-Like Atmosphere
It’s a question that players who’ve played for the organization have no issue answering. How does playing for the Knights help prepare you for moments like the combine, NHL Draft and transitioning to the NHL?
“Obviously it’s really cool to play for the Hunters,” said Denver Barkey, the team’s second-highest ranked prospect going into the 2023 NHL Draft. “Everything they do helps you. How you go about your day. They kind of treat it like a it’s a pro lifestyle and I think just them pushing us every day and pushing our work ethic has helped prepare us for this.”
As for their top-ranked prospect, Bonk, it wasn’t always a smooth ride in London, but he understands it was part of the process in getting him to where he is now.
“They have a really good development path for everyone,” he said in his scrum at the 2023 NHL Combine. “I think sometimes when you get sent down to Junior B, you don’t agree with it when you get down. But I think looking back at it now, it was a really good development path for me.”
Related: London Knights’ History of First-Round NHL Talent
The Knights have always been known as an organization that pushes their veterans and tests their rookies — giving players the best opportunity to showcase their talent at the OHL level. The Hunters have made the Knights into a first-class organization — one that has hosted a number of future NHLers over the years.
From post-game media scrums to community involvement, the Knights have taught their players about growth and development both on and off the ice — something their draft-eligible prospects noted as well.
Knights Producing Another Class of NHL Talent
Forget the slew of NHL talent that has already come of the organization, or those awaiting their chance in the NHL like Connor McMichael, the Knights are in the midst of producing another solid class of prospects for NHL teams with the likes of Barkey, Bonk and Cowan.
“Obviously it’s really cool to see the past and what the Hunters have been able to produce. And I just kind of try to trust them, trust the systems, trust the whole process that I go through there and know that hopefully in the end it’s going to work out best for me,” said Barkey. “I’m just kind of trusting them and trusting the process and just giving my best every day in hopes that it will pay off in the future.”
Trusting the process seems to be the theme amongst Knights players. Cowan, a potential third-round pick in the upcoming draft, echoed the sentiments shared by his teammate and fellow draft-eligible prospect, Barkey.
“[The Hunters] have helped me a lot,” said Cowan during his combine media availability. “Obviously, they’ve been around for a while and they know what they’re talking about so when you come to the rink and even away from the rink you just have to listen to them and stay positive and things will come.”
Bonk, Barkey and Cowan are all expected to go in the first three rounds of the upcoming draft, a testament to what they’ve been able to build in London once again. But, the Hunters and the Knights won’t let their team suffer once these players are gone either. In fact, the Knights continue to be a perennial contender in the OHL. That’s a testament to how they run their team.
Related: 2023 Draft Prospect Leo Carlsson Not Focused on NHL for 2023-24
So, while these three prospects will be NHL teams following the NHL Draft, one question remains for the Knights and Halttunen — who will also be drafted at some point in the first couple rounds. Will he leave Finland for the Knights next season?
“We’ll see,” he said regarding a possible move to the OHL. It would be just another big piece for the Knights who’ll look to run it back in 2023-24.