Knights' Night: Alex Formenton hoping to help turn Knights' season around

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: JORDAN CROW
The London Knights are still having a hard time winning games, but with Alex Formenton back on the team, the season could be looking up.

The London Knights won their first game of the year on Sept. 23. They haven’t won another once since.

Yes, it’s the same narrative again this week for the Knights, who have dropped to 1-8-1 on the season.

However, with all the scrutiny the team is inevitably facing, they finally got some good news. Alex Formenton has been sent back to London from the Ottawa Senators.

Formenton spent more time in the press box than he did on the ice with the Sens; he played just one regular season game after a great training camp.

He’ll be a sight for sore eyes for Knights’ fans.

The 18-year-old put up 16 goals and 34 points through 65 games in London last year, and he’ll be looking to improve on those number this season.

Formenton was drafted 47th overall by Ottawa in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

While having Formenton back in the Forest City is great news for Knights’ brass, it looks like Olli Juolevi is done in London.

The Vancouver Canucks first round pick is on loan to HC TPS of the SM-liiga in Finland.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning has said that Juolevi has nothing more to prove at the junior level and his development will be better served in his home country.

He’s not quite ready for the National Hockey League, but there’s not much more he can learn in junior. It’s a tough spot for Juolevi.

Victor Mete and Jesper Bratt are still playing in Montreal and New Jersey, respectively.

Bratt continues to impress with the Devils, manning the right side on the first powerplay unit. The 19-year-old has six points in five games.

As for Mete, he remains on the first defensive unit with Shea Weber, as well as the first powerplay group.

There’s still a good chance that both Bratt and Mete will don the black and gold this season. It all depends on how they play the next few games, and what their professional clubs are looking for.

It would be a huge boost for the Knights’ to get even one of them back.

This week, London scored just three goals in five games, on route to their sixth, seventh, and eighth straight losses.

It began with a home and home with the Windsor Spitfires.

On Oct. 12, Windsor beat London 3-1 at the WFCU Centre. The Knights led 1-0 in that game, but couldn’t hold onto it. Harrison Cottam scored his first career OHL goal in the loss.

Things weren’t much better less than 24 hours, when the Knights played host to the Spitfires at Budweiser Gardens.

Despite outshooting Windsor 39-11, London fell 2-1. Cliff Pu scored the only goal for the Knights.

After a day off, London tried again at home, this time against the Owen Sound Attack.

And it was much of the same.

Again, the London Knights outshot their opponent, and again, they lost.

After falling behind 3-1 early in the third, London scored two in the frame to tie the game at 3.

But that’s as close as they would get, as Attack forward Sean Durzi scored in overtime to win 4-3.

And that’s where we stand today; the London Knights have lost eight straight games.

Alex Formenton should be a huge help to the struggling Knights offence, but it’ll take more than that.

Ten games in, the Knights are 15 points behind first place Sarnia Sting.

It’s time to right the ship. And fast.