CREDIT: AARON BELL/ CHL IMAGES
Tyler Parsons throws his hands in the air with happiness as Team USA wins the World Juniors against Team Canada.

With a Memorial Cup under their belt in 2016, anything less than another championship this May would be a disappointment for the London Knights.

And they’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure they’re in the best position possible come playoff time.

At the OHL Trade Deadline recently, the Knights sent away draft picks in return for high end talent. London picked up forward Dante Salituro from the Ottawa 67s for Chris Martenet, a third round pick in 2018, and a second and 15th pick in 2021.

Salituro is a former 38 goal, 83-point player in the OHL. This year, he’s been splitting time with last year’s Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters in the AHL, and the Norfolk Admirals in the ECHL. He’ll now report to London.

Meanwhile, the Knights also scooped up London-native Mitchell Vande Sompel from the Oshawa Generals. The point per game defenseman cost the Knights an arm and a leg: second round picks in 2017 and 2019, and third rounders in 2018 and 2024. Ian Blacker is also on his way to Oshawa in the deal.

Vande Sompel will be a huge addition to the Knights blueline, and should get big time minutes along with Olli Juolevi and Victor Mete. He’s played 188 OHL games for Oshawa, accumulating 158 points. A dynamic offensive defenseman, Vande Sompel was drafted in the third round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders; he could be playing there next year.

But the biggest move of the day was adding a former captain to the team. The London Knights acquired high flying Mitchell Stephens of the Saginaw Spirit, but he didn’t come cheap.

This time, it was second rounders in 2018 (2), 2019 and 2020, and third round picks in 2017, 2019, and 2021. But the young talent will be well worth it.

The Tampa Bay Lightning second rounder is over a point per game in the OHL this season, and had five points in five games for Canada at the World Juniors. He’s a great addition, and could be the game breaker come playoff time.

Speaking of the World Juniors, it was a disappointing finish for fans across Canada. After crushing undefeated Sweden in the semi-finals, it was rival USA who stood in the way of their second gold medal in three years.

No one will forget the last time these teams played in a World Junior Championship; the USA won that game in overtime, on a goal by John Carlson.

This time around, OT solved nothing. A 4-4 tie lasted all the way to a shootout, where five-hole specialist John Terry scored the only goal in the 10 rounds.

It wasn’t all bad for London fans, though. Playing goal for USA was none other than Knights goalie Tyler Parsons. He was spectacular in a late flurry by the Swiss in the quarter finals, and made key saves in a shootout against Russia in the semis.

He also stopped all five Canadian shooters in the championship, and he’s back in London with a gold medal around his neck.

While it was bliss for Parsons, the tournament didn’t go quite as planned for the other two London Knights representing their countries. Team Finland failed to qualify for the quarter finals after losses to the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden.

That meant that instead of trying to defend their gold medal from 2016, Olli Juolevi, Janne Kuokkanen and the rest of Team Finland played Latvia in the relegation round. A win left them in ninth place when all was said and done.

Russia took home the bronze in an overtime win against Sweden to round out the medals.

With the tournament finished, junior players across Canada are now looking ahead to the rest of the season.

The Knights sit three points behind Sault Ste. Marie for first place in league standings. They’ve won seven of their past 10 games, and have scored the third most goals. The boys are rolling.

With a confident Tyler Parsons in net, and the additions of Salituro, Vande Sompel and Stephens, the London Knights are in as good a position as any team in the CHL to take home the Memorial Cup in 2017.

But first, they need to get there.