For the first time since 2007, the Medicine Hat Tigers are Memorial Cup-bound. While Medicine Hat has a stacked team full of talent, the 2025 Memorial Cup will be filled with powerhouse teams who have had very impressive playoff runs of their own. One of those teams is the London Knights, who will represent the OHL this year.
The Knights are making their second-straight appearance in the Memorial Cup and will be looking for a better result than last year. While London cruised through the round-robin, they fell to the Saginaw Spirit in the Final, denying their quest for a third Memorial Cup Championship. With a large portion of the 2023-24 team returning this season, the Knights will be motivated to ensure a repeat of the 2024 Memorial Cup does not happen.
When looking at London’s roster, it is hard to ignore the number of NHL-drafted prospects they have assembled. The Knights have 12 players tied to NHL teams and two prospects who will hear their names called at the 2025 NHL Draft. Their roster also includes a familiar player to WHL fans, former Saskatoon Blades goaltender Austin Elliott, who has been almost unbeatable since moving to the OHL.
Shutting down London is going to be a problem, as they have hardly any weaknesses. The Knights went 16-1 in the post-season, while outscoring their opposition 91-43. From even-strength play to the work of their special teams, it is going to be a significant challenge to slow down this London team.
As for players to watch, there are a handful of names that pop up. San Jose Sharks defensive prospect Sam Dickinson has 31 points in 17 playoff games this year, while Kasper Halttunen, who the Sharks also drafted, has eight goals in his last three games. In the end, though, all eyes will be on Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, as his 39 points in 17 games this post-season were the sixth-most in franchise history.
Ultimately, the Tigers will need to play a near-perfect game if they are going to take down the Knights at the 2025 Memorial Cup. Medicine Hat will also be at a slight disadvantage in the round-robin game, as their matchup against London is the tail end of a back-to-back. Based on each team’s depth and talent levels, the Tigers and Knights might be on a collision course to meet not just in the round-robin, but also in the final.
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