Road to 2027 Memorial Cup: More memorable Knights ahead in London
By Will MacLaren
Last year could only be described as a rebuilding year in London. Which is to say, only in London could last year be viewed as “rebuilding”. The Knights reeled off a fourth straight 40-win years and a 23rd consecutive season above .500 – not to mention a 14th straight campaign playing at least .600 hockey. That’s just how things roll in the Forest City.
A link between the teams that went to back-to-back Memorial Cups, including a CHL title in 2025, and this year’s powerful squad is winger Evan Van Gorp. A native of nearby Watford, Ontario, Van Gorp can easily relate to those now in the fold who wish to carry London’s championship tradition alive.
“When I first came here, I had a lot of good older guys take me in,” the overager recalls. “I learned a lot of them, most importantly how to work so hard. That’s what it takes to be a London Knight every day. Guys like Max McCue, Easton Cowan, Denver Barkey were all great role models for me.”
Never think for a moment that winning at the superhuman rate the Knights have accomplished since the turn of the century is easy. Or that it can be taken for granted. Ask a player like Van Gorp, who has experienced more championship seasons than non-championship ones in his major junior career so far, how this year’s team stacks up to the Memorial Cup champs from two seasons ago and the Assistant Captain exudes a sense of caution.
“Both teams have a lot of skill,” Van Gorp begins. “Good, individual skill. Now, we’ve got to put it together as a team. We have to go out and prove to everyone that we’re a good team.”
It’s all business in the Knights’ room. And with the literal landscape of the league offering its fair share of challenges between the defending champs in nearby Kitchener and this year’s host team residing in Guelph, the gang from London will need to remain on its toes, while also enjoying the moment.
“It’s exciting to play them,” Van Dorp says of the Storm. “They’ve got a really good team over there with plenty of skills. We’re going to be really fired up to play them and it’s going to be exciting.”
It’ll be all the more exciting if the guys in green get back to what they know best and take the Storm, and the rest of the best of the CHL, by storm this May.
