The trade deadline has come and gone once again, with that comes big-name players and big-name deals. This year was obviously no exception.

Mark Hunter did it again, misleading everyone with his trademark poker face. There were always rumours surrounding the idea that Greg McKegg would be traded to his hometown team, London, and wear a Knights jersey. The rumours started well before the 2011/12 season began. In preseason, it looked like the London Knights would be making a push for the Memorial Cup, but something was missing: it looked like a bunch of inexperienced — although highly skilled — players. There was no "wow" in their gameplay, they just knew how to win hockey games, and that's why they stayed in the CHL Top 10 for weeks and weeks! Mark Hunter, GM and Head Coach of the Knights, made it look as though a Memorial Cup push was one year away, and that's when we thought the possibility of McKegg joining the London Knights was not in the cards.

The deal was final as of January 5: McKegg, Brett Cook and Tyson Teichmann from the Erie Otters would be traded for Dane Fox, Troy Donnay and two secondround draft picks; a blockbuster of a deal and an even trade in my books. Donnay is a highly skilled prospect, who just didn't fit in with the Knights' roster. He is a big shut-down defenseman who will be looked at by NHL scouts in the next year — especially playing for a team with a mediocre record — but it's no secret that the Otters are in a rebuilding stage at the moment. On the other side, McKegg is a playmaker. The idea of him being a trigger man on the Knights' powerplay makes me think winning the OHL playoffs is well within reach. That alone wouldn't be enough for the Knights to be a top contender for the Memorial Cup, but they made another blockbuster trade four days later, for Peterborough's Austin Watson.

The Watson trade did not come at a low price; the Knights had to trade another young prospect I'm sure we will hear about in the near future: Chase Hatcher. Along with Hatcher came two second-round picks and a fourth-round conditional pick. Watson comes with a fourth-round pick from Peterborough and his 2009 Memorial Cup ring from Windsor's championship season three years ago.

One weak spot I would like to look into is London's goaltending depth. Jake Patterson is a goalie we have only seen hit the ice three times this season, mostly because he came down with mononucleosis. If starting goalie Michael Houser gets hurt, Patterson's inexperience will leave London in trouble.

The Knights are looking ready for a cup-run this season, as they have made many efforts to strengthen their team. It's now in the coaching staff's hands to keep their players healthy.