New addition Crete welcomes in next era of Knights hockey

While the franchise celebrates a third Memorial Cup victory this summer, the preparation for the title defense has already begun.

On Friday, the club announced that the team has acquired forward Max Crete from the Niagara IceDogs in exchange for the playing rights to Jacob Monks and a ninth-round selection in 2028.

Crete, 17, enjoyed a successful rookie season in Niagara recording 19 points in 68 games.

“I mean obviously I was super thrilled…” the Ottawa native said upon hearing he’d been traded to the reigning league champs. “London’s obviously talked about as one of the best junior hockey organizations in the world. Just hearing I’d been traded here, I was super pumped and just really excited.

Crete now joins a group of Knights that has a mix of veterans who’ve been through it with the likes of champions Sam O’Reilly, Will Nicholl, Jared Woolley, Henry Brzustewicz and co. but now welcomes in a young and exciting core that will look to fill some big shoes in the years to come.

He’s the newest part of a youth movement in London that features the likes of other 2008 born players in Logan Hawery, Caleb Mitchell, Jaxon Cover, and Eddie Hickson.

“We have a good young core group here mixed in with some [older] guys like O’Reilly and Nicholl. I think it’s gonna be super fun, we’re going to win games and be a real good team.”

At just 5’9, 181 lbs most wouldn’t expect the former second round pick to play a hard nosed, gritty style game but Crete says fans can expect a shifty yet hard style game.

“I’m a skilled, crafty forward who’s not scared to get in the dirty areas and get under people’s skin. I’m a smaller body but I like to play big.”

The franchise has done a lot of winning since the turn of the century and most recently in the last few years and Crete wants to make sure he helps continue that tradition come August.

“Winning is the most important part. I’m just super excited.”