OHL: Valiant Knights

The London Knights fell short of reaching the OHL finals at the hands of the Windsor Spitfires in five games with each game going into overtime. The acquisition of Tavares and Del Zotto helped but inevitably the goaltending of Cann could not be relied upon. The Knights had balanced scoring this season, however the complexion of their team could change dramatically next year as it is uncertain at this point which players will be returning. McKeen's Chief Correspondent David Burstyn takes a final look at the London Knights' prospects.

John Carlson (Wsh), D, London

Carlson was one of the best defensemen in the entire OHL this season and was leaned on heavily by the Knights' coaching staff to play in all situations .. with the puck, Carlson can create offence in a multitude of different ways .. he is a strong puckcarrier and finds ways to explode into the offensive zone .. he can set up plays and find players with pinpoint accuracy with his passes .. offensive catalyst in PP situations, as he is the setup man down low, actually playing a forward position due to the confidence he displays with the puck .. there are a number of set plays on the potent London PP and he is directly involved in most of them .. a swift, powerful skater whose body and sheer size (6-3, 210), which is already at a pro level, intimidates the opposition once he gets in full motion .. Carlson did a better job of keeping his emotions in check during the playoffs .. many players took liberties at him after the whistle in an attempt to trade off penalties, but Carlson was very disciplined .. still needs to make adjustments in his gap control and be more firm in his decision making .. at times, he would wait an extra second before making a play in the defensive zone which can be masked at the junior level but will be exposed at the pro level .. he will need to eliminate that time and space and move his feet quicker, as well as add a heightened physical dimension to his play .. Carlson has all the tools to be a successful NHLer that is capable of producing points, as he led the Knights in playoff scoring .. a year or two in the AHL should be all the seasoning he needs to achieve his NHL goals.

Michael DelZotto (NYR), D, London

A trade to the Knights helped Del Zotto re-establish himself as a premier defenseman in the league, as the change of scenery did wonders for the Stoufville native .. an offensive-minded defender, Del Zotto matured under coach Hunter and was far more selective in his offensive forays .. unlike his time in Oshawa where he was relied upon heavily to produce and also spearhead offensive breakouts, Del Zotto was not under the same type of pressure to play that role, which led to a more relaxed player .. this limited his mistakes and controlled his risk management; especially defensively .. still tries to push things in PP situations and gambles far too much at the line to keep the offensive pressure in the zone .. struggles along the boards as he does not always position himself quickly enough to make a play .. his stick is not as active as it can be .. Del Zotto does have good vision and can make a strong first pass .. his game is starting to come together, however there are still aspects that need fine tuning including his defensive angling .. he should return for another season of junior looking very comfortable and able to lead the team in points while working on improving his all-around game.

Philip Varone (2009), C, London

Varone put together a nice playoff run that included a 10-goal explosion, tying him for the team lead with Tavares .. he had five multipoint games and a five goal scoring streak during the playoffs .. a stealthy and streaky scorer, Varone has nice offensive tools including a quick release and sharp wristshot .. Varone does not get as involved as he should and tends to play a perimeter game .. his skills set him apart at the junior level, however his lack of size is a glaring concern because he does not have the offensive ability to be a top-six forward .. he is a good skater, not an outstanding one.. his playmaking skills and creativity are his prime assets .. Varone's effort level and ability should warrant draft considerations and another year of OHL seasoning should make him one of the top scorers on the Knights next season.

Nazem Kadri (2009), RW, London

The most consistent performer in the playoffs for the Knights, he put forth solid efforts on both sides of the puck .. Kadri's ability to do things at top speed and make quick decisions while reading the changes in the play separate him from other prospects .. a skater with a fluid, graceful stride who is agile and has confidence with the puck to beat defenders one-on-one .. he is blessed with good hockey vision and intelligence .. Kadri competes and always wants the puck .. situated on the second line, his non-stop hustle was able to bring out the best in his linemates - Varone and Erlich .. since he is constantly moving he draws penalties as a result and he willingly challenges the danger zones and has little fear of self-preservation at times .. Kadri laboured through parts of the season but rediscovered his game during the playoffs, as he was clutch in both series wins against the Spirit and the Otters .. Kadri has a high skill level and worked to marry his game with a defensive conscious .. still gets easily lured out of position and chases the play, as he has a tendency to want to do too much away from the puck .. needs to add muscle in the off-season, which would only further his game confidence .. if he could physically man handle players off or away from the puck he would become that much better .. highly skilled forward should be a top selection for the NHL draft followed by a return to junior and finding a roster spot on the WJC squad.

Daniel Erlich (2009), LW, London

Erlich brings a high level of skill to the Knights despite his diminutive stature .. fearless in his approach, Erlich is not at all intimidated and showed his courage during the playoffs where he was a shade under a point-a-game player .. a successful regular season where he notched 18 goals and 53 points, missing only one game all season .. creates with his shiftiness and can lift the bench with his effort .. constantly pushing the envelope and maintaining pressure in the offensive zone with his quick stick and keen offensive instincts .. he can score, pass and shoot and has a good motor behind him .. Erlich is anxious to prove himself and should get the forum to do so next season .. unlikely to see him jumped on early come draft day but to Erlich's credit he has proved many critics wrong and has produced handsomely considering his size issues.

John Tavares (2009), C, London

Tavares suffered a shoulder injury in the second game of the Otters series and was never quite the same player .. he still managed to score 10 goals, however his goals were scored in bunches .. he did not shoot as much as he normally would because the pain was too severe at times .. Tavares' relaxed approach to the game may have been construed as laziness, however his self-preservation tactics made him effective when he had to be .. like a tiger who stalks their prey, Tavares is the same, reading the plays and surfacing in the scrums only to retrieve the puck .. he does not over commit to plays and when he has the puck it is extremely difficult to pry it away from him .. a force down low, he is a triple threat with his patience, puckhandling skill and shot .. Tavares still needs to make improvements to his defensive game .. one of the few players to finish in the negative column, Tavares was despondent at times in the Windsor series and one has to wonder if the injury did not just take its toll on him .. scrutinized to no end, Tavares has been in the spotlight for what seems like an eternity and quite simply has become too good for the league .. he started to develop poor habits toward the end of the year and did not find instant chemistry with players on the ice in London .. while some have suggested his perch at the number one position may be in jeopardy, it is inconceivable how the goal-strapped Islanders could pass on a player with his finishing ability especially when they have the perfect complementary player in Bailey to distribute the puck to him.