London Knights Have Tough Decisions to Make With Their Overage Players

London will have to decide which of their 2004-born players will stay, and who will go

The 2004-born players enter their final year of OHL eligibility. This is already causing some complications for the reigning OHL Champions.

As of now, the London Knights have five overage players — Jacob Julien, Ruslan Gazizov, Landon Sim, Alec Leonard, and goaltender Owen Willmore — expected to return. Teams can have four overage players on their active roster, but only three can dress for a game.

Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien would be a surprising returnee considering he has done enough to earn an entry-level contract. 

However, he could sign his ELC deal, and return to London if the Jets decide that’s the best course of action for his development.

The Knights drafted two players in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, which could signal Ruslan Gazizov’s departure from the organization. Gazizov has been a terrific import player for them for three years, accumulating 157 points in 173 games.

If the Russian forward and Julien are slotted to return, those are two top-of-the-lineup players the team will want to keep. Losing them will significantly impact London’s offense. 

Not to mention that Julien has morphed into an outstanding two-way center who can play both special teams.

Landon Sim did not receive an ELC from the St. Louis Blues, but could still earn an AHL contract seeing as the team still likes the player, but isn’t willing to use a contract spot on him yet.

Sim is a ball of energy and an absolute pest to play against. A lot of OHL players who have had to play against his fierce tenaciousness and physical abrasiveness are hoping he will turn pro. 

If he’s back, the Knights have to decide if having his energy in a depth role is worth an overage spot on the roster.

Michael Simpson aged out of the league and his backup Owen Willmore will be tasked to carry the load unless GM Mark Hunter decides on a change.

Willmore has looked good in his limited showings. He went 16-4-0-2 with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. His inexperience will be worrisome, but he’s the best goalie the Knights have in their organization at the moment.

Lastly, we have defenseman Alec Leonard. Jackson Edward and Isaiah George are graduating from the OHL and turning pro, leaving two open spots in the team’s top-four defense core. And Oliver Bonk has shown that he’s too good of a major junior-level defender and could make a push to make the Philadelphia Flyers out of training camp.

Assuming Bonk returns, which is most likely, the team’s defense core looks like this as of today.

Dickinson - Bonk
Woolley - Leonard
Jenken - Brzustewicz
Extras: Fagan, Mitchell

With the departures of Edward and George, the Knights are going to need Leonard’s veteran experience and leadership.

In summary, the overage player who is most at risk of not being a London Knight next season is Landon Sim. 

Also, keep in mind that his younger brother Lane plays for the Sarnia Sting. There could be a gentleman’s agreement deal to have him play his final year in the OHL with his brother in Sarnia.