Two Oilers prospects win Memorial Cup with London Knights

It was a great season for the Knights, as they won their second consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup, awarded to the Ontario Hockey League champions. Last season, they lost two of their 18 games, but improved to 16-1 this postseason.

O’Reilly, in particular, was a big reason the Knights had success, as he finished the postseason with seven goals and 22 points in 17 games. Nicholl came off a great regular season, scoring 21 goals and 57 points in 66 games, but scored just one goal and eight points in 17 games.

It’s a possibility that O’Reilly turns professional next season, as the 19-year-old signed his entry-level contract back on Oct. 21, 2024. Nicholl, also 19, will likely return to the Knights next season as he remains unsigned and needs more seasoning before turning professional.

The Knights are one of the best junior teams in terms of development, with the likes of Sam Gagner and Patrick Kane playing for the team in the past. Since 2004-05, the Knights have won six J. Ross Robertson Cups, including three Memorial Cups.

On the other hand, a team from the Western Hockey League hasn’t won the Memorial Cup since the Edmonton Oil Kings did it back in 2014, a team which had former Oil prospect Griffin Reinhart and Mitch Moroz on the team.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Oilers do at this year’s draft, as their first pick is in the third round. Last season, they traded their 2025 pick for the 32nd overall pick to select O’Reilly. Of course, that isn’t on the mind of Oiler fans, given the team made it to the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season.