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The No. 1 hockey factory in the world shows no signs of slowing down.
The London Knights produced three more NHL picks in first-rounder Henry Brzustewicz (Kings), second-round goaltender Aleksei Medvedev (Canucks) and third-rounder Noah Read (Ducks) at the draft this weekend in Los Angeles.
That West Coast trio pushed the OHL club to a record 202 all-time draftees, an incredible 26 first-rounders since Rick Nash in 2002 and an unmatched run of Knights selected every year since 1969.
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“I’m happy for the boys and you’re always hoping for more,” Mark Hunter, London’s GM, said. “There’s always next year for some of those (draft-eligible) guys.”
The Memorial Cup champs value a collective approach to development and that willingness to work together, communicate and check egos at the door allows them to attract some of the best young players in the junior ranks.
“Sometimes in an organization, not everyone wants what’s best for the whole but for an individual,” Mark Hunter said. “I think what we do that is important in this organization is that it is always about what’s best for the team, period.”
Brzustewicz went No. 31 to Los Angeles late Friday and that reunited him with his Knights best friend Jared Woolley, also a Kings prospect. The early indication is they will likely play together as a top pairing in London this fall.
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“It’s so impressive what Henry did,” Mark Hunter said. “At the start of last season, he wasn’t rated in the first round. I remember when Pat Kane came here and he was rated by all the scouting services outside the first round. He came to London, did his thing, got coached well and took off (to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft).
“It’s always important that kids get into a situation where they can perform and still have fun and hopefully, win hockey games.”
Medvedev was the first OHL goaltender picked this year and was the fourth off the board to Vancouver at No. 47 in the second round. The 6-foot-3 OHL rookie had great numbers with the Knights but didn’t play much down the stretch because of the emergence of over-age netminder Austin Elliott.
Medvedev never sulked and was a consummate teammate during the playoffs and Memorial Cup.
“(Elliott) always treated me with respect,” the 17-year-old Russian said during his media availability after being picked. “It was great learning from him. They (the Knights) are the best at what they do. They have so much knowledge so I’m just lucky to be there. They help me a lot.
“The London Knights culture – they make champions there.”
Medvedev will get a chance to attend a pro camp and get some tips from current Vancouver goalies Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen. Then, he will be expected to back-stop the Knights to a lot of wins.
“I just think the upside is huge on this guy,” Mark Hunter said. “Solid person, work ethic is impeccable, loves the game and has fun. I’m looking forward to watching him play next year.”
Rookie forward Noah Read was snapped up by the Anaheim Ducks No. 72 overall. He was a 10th round OHL pick and played mostly on London’s fourth line, but still managed to score 10 goals, plus a playoff hat trick against Owen Sound.
“He’s got some wow into his game and likely should have got more ice time,” Mark Hunter said. “He accepted it and showed he’s a good teammate, good person and still battled. Over the years, we had guys like Josh Anderson, Andreas Athanasiou and Chris Tierney who battled on the fourth line and (NHL) teams have seen when they get that chance, it only made them stronger.
“From there, they take off and find success.”
AROUND THE RINK: London winger Blake Montgomery, a Senators prospect, informed the Knights he is heading to the University of Wisconsin this fall for his 20-year-old season. “He was great for our organization,” Mark Hunter said. “Every day he came in with a great attitude and was pleasant to be around. I think he really enjoyed his time here but they had a plan and were very open about it.” . . . Bruins first-rounder James Hagens went No. 7 overall in the NHL draft Friday after spending a year at Boston College. Would the 2022 Knights draft pick have gone higher if he reported to London? We’ll never know. The same question lingers for London’s 2023 first-rounder Will Moore, whose rights were eventually dealt to Barrie. He stayed two years with the U.S. national team program and went No. 51 overall to the Bruins Saturday. Would he have enjoyed a bump with the back-to-back OHL champs and Memorial Cup winners? . . . The Knights will make three picks in the CHL import draft Wednesday. Finnish forward Jesse Nurmi is still protected by the team but he will try to work his way into the Islanders system. . . Former Knights assistant GM Misha Donskov, who had been an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars, was hired this week by Hockey Canada as its vice president of hockey operations. The 48-year-old will also coach the men’s national team for the world championships and serve as an assistant at the world juniors and the Olympics. He won a Stanley Cup while with Vegas in 2023.
rpyettte@postmedia.com
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