[{"id":300113,"date":"2026-08-20T14:00:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T18:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=300113"},"modified":"2026-08-20T11:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T15:51:18","slug":"futures-watch-london-knights-2026-draft-class-and-new-faces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/futures-watch-london-knights-2026-draft-class-and-new-faces","title":{"rendered":"Futures Watch: London Knights\u2019 2026 Draft Class and New Faces"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the 2026-27 OHL season approaches, the London Knights are preparing for a new campaign. We spoke with Associate General Manager Rob Simpson about the club\u2019s 2026 draft class and the new faces fans should keep an eye on heading into the upcoming season.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2026 Draft Class Revisit:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Ryan Beaulieu<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>6\u20190\u201d, 190lbs, left-shot defenceman<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>London, ON<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Jan 10, 2010<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted: <\/b>1st Round, 14th Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)<\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (London Jr. Knights U16 AAA): <\/b>28 GP, 13G, 34A, 47 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Selected 14th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, London native Ryan Beaulieu recorded 47 points (13-34\u201347) in 28 games from the blueline with the London Jr. Knights U16 AAA program last season. Beaulieu also captained the club to a U16 Alliance Championship and was named to the OHL Cup All-Star Team after recording 11 points (5-6\u201311) in six games.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRyan Beaulieu is a complete defenceman who brings an impressive combination of defensive reliability and offensive ability from the back end. He\u2019s a difficult player to play against \u2013 competitive, assertive and capable of shutting plays down while moving pucks efficiently the other way. Offensively, his shot from the point is a real weapon. He does an excellent job of finding shooting lanes, getting pucks through traffic, and has the accuracy to pick corners from a distance. There\u2019s a good balance to his game; he can defend hard, contribute offensively and impact play at both ends of the ice. That versatility and competitiveness make him a defenceman you can trust in a lot of different situations.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Ryker Kesler<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>6\u20192\u201d, 157lbs, right-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>West Bloomfield, MI<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Dec 19, 2010<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted: <\/b>2nd Round, 27th Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)<\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (Det. Little Caesars 15): <\/b>20 GP, 15G, 20A, 35 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Selected 27th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, Ryker Kesler spent the 2025-26 season with the Detroit Little Caesars 15U AAA program, recording 35 points (15-20\u201335) and 60 penalty minutes in 20 regular-season games. The 6-foot-2 forward also appeared in three games at the 2026 OHL Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRyker Kesler is a pro-style player who already shows a strong understanding of the details required to impact the game beyond the scoresheet. He plays a direct, purposeful game and brings a physical element to every shift. He competes for positioning, finishes his checks and understands how to make life difficult on opposing players. What stands out is the maturity in his approach \u2013 he plays within structure, manages the puck well and understands his responsibilities in all three zones. Ryker has the type of game that can translate as the level gets higher because his identity is built around details, competitiveness and playing winning hockey.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Jackson Marthaler<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>6\u20192\u201d, 198lbs, left-shot defenceman<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>Superior, WI<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Feb 10, 2008<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted: <\/b>4th Round, 76th Overall (2026 OHL Priority Selection)<\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (U.S. National U18 Team): <\/b>54 GP, 0G, 4A, 4 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Selected 76th overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, Jackson Marthaler spent the majority of the 2025-26 season with the U.S. National U18 Team, recording four assists in 54 regular-season games. The Superior, Wisconsin, native also suited up for the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL, where he added four assists, and is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2027-28 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJackson Marthaler is a big, mobile, puck-moving defenceman who uses his size and skating ability extremely well. Defensively, he closes gaps quickly with his feet and takes away time and space before opposing forwards have an opportunity to create. He complements that mobility with a strong defensive stick, allowing him to disrupt plays and separate opponents from the puck without taking himself out of position. With the puck, he has the ability to transition play efficiently and move pucks up ice. His combination of size, mobility and defensive awareness gives him the tools to be a difficult matchup while providing value in transition.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Player Spotlight: <\/b>Luca Santala<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>6\u20192\u201d, 198lbs, right-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>Zurich, SUI<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Jul 28, 2009<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted: <\/b>1st Round, 40th Overall (2026 CHL Import Draft)<\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (Kiekko-Espoo U18): <\/b>17 GP, 12G, 10A, 22 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Selected 40th overall in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, Luca Santala spent the 2025-26 season with Kiekko-Espoo in Finland, recording 12 points (7-5\u201312) in 25 games at the U20 level while adding 22 points (12-10\u201322) in 17 games with the club\u2019s U18 team. The 6-foot-2 forward also represented Finland at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording six points (2-4\u20136) in five games. Santala is currently projected as a first-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft, according to <\/span>Daily Faceoff\u2019s<\/span><\/i> early rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLuca Santala is a complete two-way centre who plays the game the right way in all three zones. He brings a strong combination of size, hockey sense and offensive ability, while showing the details and responsibility you want to see down the middle. Offensively, his shot is a real weapon, particularly his one-timer, where he can get pucks off quickly and with power. He protects the puck extremely well, using his size and reach to extend possessions, create separation and make plays under pressure. Away from the puck, he understands positioning and works to get above plays defensively. Luca\u2019s ability to impact the game on both sides of the puck gives him the versatility to be trusted in a variety of situations.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Other members of the 2026 class include:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/b><\/td>\nPOSITION<\/b><\/td>\nHOMETOWN<\/b><\/td>\nDOB<\/b><\/td>\n2025-26 TEAM<\/b><\/td>\nDRAFTED<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jack Samek<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nEtobicoke, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 8, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nMarkham Majors U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n2nd round, 37th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brian Cooke<\/span><\/td>\nG<\/span><\/td>\nSt. Louis, MO<\/span><\/td>\nApr 21, 2008<\/span><\/td>\nMinot Minotauros<\/span><\/td>\n3rd round, 61st overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Joseph Chiella<\/span><\/td>\nRD<\/span><\/td>\nMississauga, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 19, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nToronto Nationals U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n4th round, 74th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kosta Housseas<\/span><\/td>\nLD<\/span><\/td>\nToronto, ON<\/span><\/td>\nJan 27, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nMarkham Majors U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n4th round, 75th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ewan Sim<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nNew Glasgow, NS<\/span><\/td>\nMar 25, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nWeeks Majors U18 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n5th round, 95th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Graham Littlejohn<\/span><\/td>\nLW<\/span><\/td>\nWallacetown, ON<\/span><\/td>\nDec 8, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nLondon Jr. Knights U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n6th round, 108th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cash McElmurry<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nRoyal Oak, MI<\/span><\/td>\nJun 1, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nDetroit HoneyBaked 15’s<\/span><\/td>\n7th round, 135th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Christopher Pinko<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nSpringfield, NJ<\/span><\/td>\nJun 3, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nNorth Jersey Avalanche 15’s<\/span><\/td>\n9th round, 175th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Patrick Taylor<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nLake Forest, IL<\/span><\/td>\nMar 12, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nWindy City Storm 15s<\/span><\/td>\n10th round, 182nd overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jamal Havusic<\/span><\/td>\nRD<\/span><\/td>\nEtobicoke, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 19, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nOakville Rangers U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n11th round, 215th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Liam Klubertanz<\/span><\/td>\nLD<\/span><\/td>\nGrand Bend, ON<\/span><\/td>\nSep 8, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nLambton Jr. Sting U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n12th round, 235th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stuart DeMunnik<\/span><\/td>\nLD<\/span><\/td>\nTiny, ON<\/span><\/td>\nJul 20, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nYork-Simcoe Express U16 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n13th round, 242nd overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Zeller Clark-Schoeb<\/span><\/td>\nG<\/span><\/td>\nSummit, NJ<\/span><\/td>\nAug 18, 2010<\/span><\/td>\nNJ Rockets AAA Elite Black 15’s<\/span><\/td>\n14th round, 275th overall<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cameron Godard<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nOakville, ON<\/span><\/td>\nApr 7, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nBurlington Eagles U18 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n1st round, 14th overall (U18)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Andrew Menlove<\/span><\/td>\nG<\/span><\/td>\nSt. Thomas, ON<\/span><\/td>\nAug 27, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nElgin-Middlesex Canucks U18 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n2nd round, 34th overall (U18)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ethan Haklander<\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nKomoka, ON<\/span><\/td>\nAug 7, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nLondon Jr. Knights U18 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n3rd round, 48th overall (U18)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Juho Piiparinen<\/span><\/td>\nRD<\/span><\/td>\nLahti, FIN<\/span><\/td>\nAug 10, 2008<\/span><\/td>\nTappara Tampere<\/span><\/td>\n2nd round, 101st overall (Import)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

2026 New Faces<\/span>:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

*Note: Player additions are current as of publication. Team signings remain ongoing, and this section will be updated throughout the offseason as additional players are signed and trades are completed.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Anthony Thomas-Maroon<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>6\u20190\u201d, 174lbs, left-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>St. Louis, MO<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Sep 2, 2008<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted: <\/b>11th Round, 222nd Overall (2024 OHL Priority Selection)<\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (Muskegon Lumberjacks): <\/b>59 GP, 2G, 17A, 19 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Anthony Thomas-Maroon spent the 2025-26 season with the USHL\u2019s Muskegon Lumberjacks, recording 19 points (2-17\u201319) and 78 penalty minutes in 59 regular-season games. The St. Louis, Missouri, native was originally selected by London in the 11th round (222nd overall) of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection and is committed to Western Michigan University for the 2027-28 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnthony Thomas-Maroon is a reliable 200-foot player who impacts the game in all three zones. He plays with purpose and detail, competes hard away from the puck and consistently puts himself on the right side of plays. He\u2019s difficult to play against because he doesn\u2019t give opponents much time or space and is willing to engage physically to win possession. Offensively, he supports the puck well, gets to hard areas and can make plays when opportunities are there. Defensively, he understands his responsibilities and can be trusted in key situations. He brings the type of complete, competitive game that coaches value \u2013 a player who can contribute in different ways and make his line difficult to play against every shift.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Player Spotlight: Kane Barch<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>5\u201910\u201d, 196lbs, left-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>Plano, TX<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Mar 13, 2009<\/span><\/p>\n

Acquired: <\/b>Jan. 7. 2026<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (U.S. National U17 Team): <\/b>54 GP, 7G, 16A, 23 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Acquired from the Kitchener Rangers at the trade deadline, Kane Barch spent most of the 2025-26 season with the U.S. National U17 Team, recording 23 points (7-16\u201323) in 54 games. He also appeared with the USNTDP Juniors, adding 10 points (2-8\u201310) in 36 games, represented Team USA at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and is committed to the University of Michigan for 2028.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKane Barch is an in-your-face, highly competitive player who has a way of making his presence felt every time he steps on the ice. He combines a strong skill set and high-end hockey sense with an exceptional compete level and willingness to play through contact. He hunts pucks, finishes checks, gets inside opponents and has the ability to create offence once he gets possession. What separates Kane is that his competitiveness doesn\u2019t come at the expense of his skill or intelligence \u2013 he can process the game, make plays and drive offence while playing with an edge. He\u2019s the type of player you absolutely love having on your bench and hate playing against. His style of play has the ability to change the complexion of a game.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Geno Carcone<\/span><\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>5\u20199\u201d, 190lbs, left-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>Woodstock, GA<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>Nov 14, 2006<\/span><\/p>\n

Signed (FA): <\/b>June 4, 2026<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (Green Bay Gamblers): <\/b>58 GP, 13G, 39A, 52 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Geno Carcone recorded 52 points (13-39\u201352) in 58 regular-season games with the USHL\u2019s Green Bay Gamblers during the 2025-26 season, finishing tied for second on the team in assists and third in scoring. The Woodstock, Georgia, native spent the past three seasons with Green Bay, totalling 115 points (34-81\u2013115) in 159 regular-season games.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGeno Carcone is the type of player who wants the puck on his stick, and when he gets it, good things tend to happen. He has the ability to create plays that lead directly to quality scoring chances, whether that\u2019s finding a teammate through a seam or creating his own opportunity. Last season he was very effective operating off the half wall on the power play, where his hockey sense and ability to read pressure really stood out. He can quickly identify openings, manipulate defenders and penalty killers, and attack different layers of coverage. What makes him dangerous is that he\u2019s a dual threat \u2013 if you take away the passing option, he has the ability to find his own shot. He\u2019s an offensive-minded player who can make something happen when the puck is on his stick.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Player Spotlight: <\/b>Thomas Zocco<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Profile: <\/b>5\u201910\u201d, 187lbs, right-shot forward<\/span><\/p>\n

Hometown: <\/b>Staten Island, NY<\/span><\/p>\n

Birthdate: <\/b>June 15, 2006<\/span><\/p>\n

Signed (FA): <\/b>June 19, 2026<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

2025-26 Stats (Sioux Falls Stampede): <\/b>60 GP, 22G, 48A, 70 PTS<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas Zocco played a key role in the Sioux Falls Stampede\u2019s Clark Cup championship run last season, leading the team with 70 points (22-48\u201370) in 60 regular-season games. He finished fourth in USHL scoring during both the regular season and playoffs. Zocco spent the 2024-25 season with the BCHL\u2019s Coquitlam Express, where he also led the club in scoring with 53 points (19-34\u201353) in 49 games.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really excited about the addition of Thomas Zocco. He\u2019s the type of player that other players want to play with because of his ability to make everyone around him better. There\u2019s a lot of deception and creativity in his game, and his high-level hockey sense allows him to see plays developing a step ahead. Thomas sees layers in his offensive attack \u2013 he can manipulate defenders, create hesitation and open up space before finding teammates in dangerous areas. He understands how to put defenders into difficult situations and has the skill to capitalize when those opportunities develop. He had a very strong season last year and continues to trend upward. We believe there is another level to his game, and we\u2019re excited to see where his development takes him.\u201d <\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additional new faces include:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
PLAYER<\/b><\/td>\nPOSITION<\/b><\/td>\nHOMETOWN<\/b><\/td>\nDOB<\/b><\/td>\n2025-26 TEAM<\/b><\/td>\nDRAFTED\/ACQUIRED<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alex Campeau<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nCornwall, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 23, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nLondon Nationals (GOHL) + London (6 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n1st round, 23rd overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cooper McAslan<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nD<\/span><\/td>\nBowmanville, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 16, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nLondon Nationals (GOHL) + London (4 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n2nd round, 43rd overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Owen Miniotas<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nRW<\/span><\/td>\nLondon, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMay 2, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nKomoka Kings (GOHL) + London (1 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n3rd round, 60th overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eloan Le Gallic<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nC<\/span><\/td>\nToronto, ON<\/span><\/td>\nFeb 6, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nSt. Thomas Stars (GOHL) + London (4 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n3rd round, 62nd overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jake Ritson<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nLW<\/span><\/td>\nThunder Bay, ON<\/span><\/td>\nFeb 12, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nStrathroy Rockets (GOHL) + London (2 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n5th round, 88th overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Charlie Weiss<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nG<\/span><\/td>\nThunder Bay, ON<\/span><\/td>\nJuly 21, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nVaughan Kings U18 AAA<\/span><\/td>\n5th round, 100th overall (2025)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cody Wood<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nD<\/span><\/td>\nUxbridge, ON<\/span><\/td>\nJune 13, 2008<\/span><\/td>\nLondon Nationals (GOHL) + London (4 GP)<\/span><\/td>\n8th round, 162nd overall (2024)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jacob Vandeven<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nD<\/span><\/td>\nKomoka, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMar 3, 2008<\/span><\/td>\nKomoka Kings (GOHL) + London (8 GP)<\/span><\/td>\nJan 8, 2026<\/span><\/a><\/span> (trade w\/ OS)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kobe Nadalin<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\nG<\/span><\/td>\nWoodstock, ON<\/span><\/td>\nMay 29, 2009<\/span><\/td>\nWoodstock Navy Vets<\/span><\/td>\nJuly 8, 2026<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

With another wave of young talent entering the organization, the Knights will have plenty of options as they shape their roster for the 2026-27 season. London\u2019s 2026 draft class adds another group of promising prospects to the pipeline. Combined with returning prospects looking to take the next step, the Knights will look to remain among the OHL\u2019s contenders and extend their historic streak of 24 consecutive postseason appearances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

____________________________________________________________________________________<\/span><\/p>\n

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Subscribers can stream games live or watch on demand from anywhere, ensuring they never miss a goal, save, or highlight during the 2026-27 season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re following your hometown team or tracking prospects across the league, <\/span>FloHockey<\/b><\/a> provides comprehensive coverage of every OHL club all season long.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get to know the London Knights\u2019 2026 draft class and new faces as the club prepares for the 2026-27 OHL season and looks to extend its historic playoff streak.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":575,"featured_media":300114,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[{"term_id":3875,"name":"2026 Futures Watch","slug":"2026-futures-watch","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3875,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":14,"filter":"raw","term_order":"37"},{"term_id":96,"name":"London Knights","slug":"london-knights","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":96,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2213,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2232"},{"term_id":2673,"name":"OHL News","slug":"ohl-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2689,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4039,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2868"}],"class_list":["post-300113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-2026-futures-watch","tag-london-knights","tag-ohl-news","category-186","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/08\/20114934\/FuturesWatchWeb-6.jpg",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/575"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300113"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300115,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300113\/revisions\/300115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":300123,"date":"2026-08-20T13:43:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T17:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=300123"},"modified":"2026-08-20T13:43:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T17:43:47","slug":"knights-sign-forward-kane-barch-to-an-ohl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/knights-sign-forward-kane-barch-to-an-ohl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Knights sign forward Kane Barch"},"content":{"rendered":"

LONDON, ON –<\/strong> The London Knights have announced that the club has signed forward Kane Barch to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Kane\u2019s rights were acquired from the Kitchener Rangers at last year\u2019s trade deadline and was drafted to the OHL in the first round, twenty-second overall in the 2025 priority selection.<\/p>\n

Barch has local ties to the community playing his U14 to U16 seasons with the Huron Perth Lakers before playing one season with the United States National Team Development Program and appearing in the World U17 Hockey Challenge for the USA.<\/p>\n

Kane becomes the third, second generation player signed to the Club following Ryan Beaulieu and Anthony Thomas-Maroon. Kane\u2019s father, Krys played for the Knights from 1997-2000.<\/p>\n

\u201cKane brings a competitive and winning attitude to our team that matches the brand of hockey we expect in London. He understands the history of the London Knights and what it takes to win here and that\u2019s important for our success.\u201d – Mark Hunter, General Manager<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LONDON, ON – The London Knights have announced that the club has signed forward Kane Barch to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Kane\u2019s rights were acquired from the Kitchener Rangers at last year\u2019s trade deadline and was drafted to the OHL in the first round, twenty-second overall in the 2025 priority selection. Barch has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":575,"featured_media":300125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[{"term_id":3258,"name":"Kane Barch","slug":"kane-barch","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3258,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2019"},{"term_id":96,"name":"London Knights","slug":"london-knights","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":96,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2213,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2232"},{"term_id":2673,"name":"OHL News","slug":"ohl-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2689,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4039,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2868"},{"term_id":890,"name":"Prospects","slug":"prospects","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":901,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1758,"filter":"raw","term_order":"3069"}],"class_list":["post-300123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-kane-barch","tag-london-knights","tag-ohl-news","tag-prospects","category-186","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/08\/20134245\/Barch-Web.jpg",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/575"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300123"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300126,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300123\/revisions\/300126"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":300116,"date":"2026-08-20T12:34:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=300116"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:35:18","slug":"19-ohl-alumni-take-part-in-2026-ese-all-star-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/19-ohl-alumni-take-part-in-2026-ese-all-star-challenge","title":{"rendered":"19 OHL alumni take part in 2026 ESE All-Star Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nineteen current and former Ontario Hockey League players hit the ice at the 2026 ESE All-Star Challenge on August 5 at Suburban Ice Rochester in Rochester, Michigan.<\/span><\/p>\n

The annual event brought together professional, collegiate and junior hockey talent for a night of summer hockey, with admission offered by donation and proceeds supporting Benton and the Urban Hockey Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Team DeBrincat<\/b> featured three OHL alumni: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters), Cam Fowler (Windsor Spitfires) and Jack Studnicka (Oshawa Generals\/Niagara IceDogs).<\/span><\/p>\n

Four more suited up for <\/span>Team Brzustewicz<\/b>, including brothers Henry Brzustewicz (London Knights) and Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener Rangers), along with Henry Mews (Ottawa 67\u2019s\/Sudbury Wolves) and Max Namestnikov (Sarnia Sting\/Guelph Storm).<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Saginaw Spirit forward Trevor Theuer represented <\/span>Team Reitter<\/b>, while <\/span>Team Hawkins <\/b>featured four OHL alumni in Dalton Duhart (London Knights\/Barrie Colts\/Saginaw Spirit), Drake Rymsha (London Knights\/Ottawa 67\u2019s\/Sarnia Sting), Mitchell Smith (Saginaw Spirit) and Samuel DiBlasi (Saginaw Spirit).<\/span><\/p>\n

The largest OHL contingent belonged to eventual champion <\/span>Team Barnes<\/b>, which featured six former OHL players on the ice: Blake Barnes (Niagara IceDogs), Andrew Gibson (Soo Greyhounds\/Oshawa Generals), Logan Mailloux (London Knights), Sam O\u2019Reilly (London Knights\/Kitchener Rangers), Teddy Spitznagel (Ottawa 67\u2019s) and Ty Tullio (Oshawa Generals). <\/span>Ryan Barnes, a former forward with the Sudbury Wolves, Toronto St. Michael\u2019s Majors and Barrie Colts who later served as an assistant coach with the Peterborough Petes, was behind the bench for Team Barnes, bringing the team\u2019s total OHL representation to seven.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

19 current and former OHL players took part in the 2026 ESE All-Star Challenge in Rochester, Michigan, with Team Barnes capturing the title.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":575,"featured_media":300117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[{"term_id":250,"name":"alumni","slug":"alumni","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":253,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1016,"filter":"raw","term_order":"284"},{"term_id":2673,"name":"OHL News","slug":"ohl-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2689,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4039,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2868"}],"class_list":["post-300116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-alumni","tag-ohl-news","category-186","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/08\/20123210\/ESE-Web.jpg",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/575"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300116"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300119,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300116\/revisions\/300119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":300107,"date":"2026-08-20T10:09:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T14:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=300107"},"modified":"2026-08-20T10:09:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T14:09:41","slug":"alex-fontana-hired-as-steelheads-strength-and-conditioning-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/alex-fontana-hired-as-steelheads-strength-and-conditioning-coach","title":{"rendered":"Steelheads hire Alex Fontana as Strength and Conditioning Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

BRAMPTON, ON \u2013 The Brampton Steelheads announced Wednesday that Alex Fontana has joined the club as Strength & Conditioning Coach.<\/p>\n

A Toronto, Ontario native, Fontana brings a wealth of high-level athletic experience to the role, having spent time as an offensive lineman in the CFL. He was selected 7th overall in the first round of the 2019 CFL Draft by the Ottawa Redblacks, and went on to play professionally for both the Redblacks and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.<\/p>\n

Fontana’s football career began well before his professional days as he became the first Canadian player to compete in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. After playing high school football in Connecticut and a stint in junior college, he earned a scholarship to the University of Houston in 2016, helping lead the Cougars to a #5 national ranking. He transferred to the University of Kansas in 2018, where he wrapped up his collegiate career and earned a Master’s degree in Economics.<\/p>\n

Fontana currently trains athletes in hockey and football through Dynamic Sports Performance.<\/p>\n

The Steelheads would like to welcome Alex to the team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BRAMPTON, ON \u2013 The Brampton Steelheads announced Wednesday that Alex Fontana has joined the club as Strength & Conditioning Coach. A Toronto, Ontario native, Fontana brings a wealth of high-level athletic experience to the role, having spent time as an offensive lineman in the CFL. He was selected 7th overall in the first round of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":586,"featured_media":300109,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[{"term_id":3910,"name":"Alex Fontana","slug":"alex-fontana","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3910,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1"},{"term_id":3905,"name":"Hockey Operations Updates","slug":"hockey-operations-updates","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3905,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4,"filter":"raw","term_order":"6"},{"term_id":3059,"name":"Brampton Steelheads","slug":"brampton-steelheads","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3059,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":348,"filter":"raw","term_order":"547"}],"class_list":["post-300107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-alex-fontana","tag-hockey-operations-updates","tag-brampton-steelheads","category-186","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/08\/20100931\/BRAM_Hire-Aug20.jpg",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300107"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300110,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300107\/revisions\/300110"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":300097,"date":"2026-08-19T17:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T21:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=300097"},"modified":"2026-08-19T16:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T20:55:52","slug":"ohl-concludes-annual-general-meeting-leadership-meetings-ahead-of-training-camps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/ohl-concludes-annual-general-meeting-leadership-meetings-ahead-of-training-camps","title":{"rendered":"OHL Concludes Annual General Meeting, Leadership Meetings Ahead of Training Camps"},"content":{"rendered":"

TORONTO <\/strong><\/span>\u2013 The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) concluded its Annual General Meeting and Leadership Meetings over the past two weeks, with the League’s Board of Governors and member clubs addressing a range of items ahead of the opening of training camps for the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n

Amendments to Fighting Penalties\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Board of Governors approved amendments to the OHL Discipline Policy governing fighting penalties, effective for the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n

Under the amended policy:<\/u><\/p>\n