Five Pre-Season Questions with Matthew Timms

Matthew Timms recently joined the London Knights in a trade from Peterborough and is preparing for his fifth OHL season.

The defenceman from Waterdown, Ont., recorded a career-high 63 points in 2016-17 helping the Petes reach the Eastern Conference final.  He eagerly awaits his debut with the Knights where he hopes to bring leadership and offense from the blue line for his final season in pursuit of an OHL title.

Timms took time to answer some questions and share his outlook on the season ahead.

How does it feel to join the London Knights?

“It’s pretty cool. I spent four years in Peterborough and obviously I was looking at this team for quite awhile now and I think we’re probably front runners for the conference. We have a pretty strong squad here and you already look at our defence core, and I’m the only deal they’ve made so far, and we’re starting the season with a pretty good D core and obviously some pretty elite forwards so it’s going to be exciting.”

What has been the message from the coaching staff so far in terms of their expectations from you this season?

“Obviously they want to win, and I think everyone else in that dressing room wants to win as well. Like I said before, we’ve got a pretty strong squad and we have one goal here and that’s to win.”

How do you think you’re experience of playing four years in the league will help the team?

“Believe it or not, even though I think we’re front runners here, we do actually have quite a young squad. Playing four years, with my time in Peterborough, I’ve learned a lot. Obviously we had a good year, we had a couple bad years, a couple rebuilding years, so I know what it’s like to win and I know what it’s like to lose. My third year there we had a team that came together and were a pretty close squad. I can kind of sense that coming into this team it’s probably the closest team I’ve ever been on and we’re not even through the exhibition season yet. I think that’s going to help us out a lot being a close team and we obviously have the talent to do it but with us coming together already I think it’s going to be a good year.”

What has been your best OHL memory to date?

“Probably making the deep playoff run with Peterborough. I was hurt throughout the playoffs but just being in that atmosphere and seeing the guys around the room and what it’s like when you’re winning and get through a series and stuff like that. It’s obviously a pretty special feeling, it’s fun to win, it’s definitely pretty exciting winning a playoff series, so I think we’ll be able to win a couple here if not the whole thing here so I’m looking forward to that.”

What would it mean to wrap up your OHL career with a championship?

“I think it would be pretty cool. I think I’ve waited my time, played four years, came fairly close to a conference championship. It would mean a lot. I think everyone coming into the league dreams of winning a championship so obviously that’s my goal here and I have one last kick at the can here and I’m looking forward to it.”

This month ontariohockeyleague.com will feature one team each day in advance of the 2018-19 season which begins Wednesday September 19th.  See more from the OHL 20 in 20 series.