Days from the start of their 2017 training camp, the London Knights have added two names to their roster.
On Wednesday, Knights’ General Manager, Rob Simpson announced the signing of forward, Emmet Pierce and defenceman, Tim Fallowfield.
Pierce was London’s fourth round pick in 2017 out of the Quinte Red Devils’ system. At 6’6 and 192 pounds, Pierce has great size. He is just 16 years old. The native of Napanee has 22 goals and 35 assists in 36 regular season games for the Red Devils last year. At the OHL Cup, Pierce had four assists in four games.
He skates well and has a good mind for the game and it is that IQ that really impressed Simpson.
“For a big player, he has great vision and playmaking ability. He put up good numbers in minor midget. He ran the half wall on (Quinte’s) power play all year. Usually it takes a lot of time for a player with his size to develop really good co-ordination in his hands, but Pierce already has it.”
Pierce will be heading to camp with fellow 2017 draft picks, Lucas Rowe and Dalton Duhart. New Jersey Devils’ draft pick, Jesper Bratt is entering his first season in the Ontario Hockey League as well. Richard Whittaker and Billy Moskal were both selected in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection and got a taste of the OHL last season, as did Alex Turko. Moskal ended up being named the GOJHL Western Conference Rookie of the Year as a part of the St. Mary’s Lincolns.
Fallowfield has been playing closer to London through his entire minor hockey career.
He is from St. Thomas and played for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and went undrafted in 2015. Fallowfield moved to the London Jr. Knights’ Major Midget squad for the 2015-16 season and was part of their Alliance championship team.
Fallowfield made the St. Thomas Stars as a 17-year old and became a key contributor last season with 11 goals and 27 points in 51 games. He was named to the GOJHL’s Western Conference Rookie All-Star team.
Simpson mentioned the name of Tommy Hughes when looking for a player who took a similar path to the OHL and plays a similar style.
“He’s had the natural progression from Midget to Jr B,” says Simpson. “He had a great season last year. He’s a big defenceman at 6’2 who can skate and can kill penalties. In time, he will be the kind of defenceman who can play against tough matchups.”
Fallowfield joins a defence corps led by Victor Mete, Nic Mattinen, Evan Bouchard and Jacob Golden. Riley Coome played in six games last year as well. Over the summer, London added Andrew Perrott and Ryan Bangs and will wait to see what happens with Olli Juolevi and Brandon Crawley as they try to make the jump to the professional ranks. Juolevi was the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. If he does not stick with the Canucks this season, he could still return to the Knights. There has also been talk of Juolevi playing a year in Finland.
Crawley was selected by the New York Rangers in June’s NHL Draft. Since he is 20-years old, Crawley could wind up playing in the American Hockey League. He could also return to London for an overage season.
Notes: The Knights will open their 2017 training camp on Monday, August 28 at Budweiser Gardens.
Their first on-ice session will be Tuesday, August 29 at 8:00 A.M. All on-ice scrimmages are open to the public. If attending, you are asked to enter through Gate 4.
Here is the full training camp schedule:
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
8:00am-9:30am Team Black vs. Team White
9:40am-11:10am Team Gold vs. Team Green
1:00pm-2:50-pm Team White vs. Team Gold
3:00pm-4:50pm Team Black vs. Team Green
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
8:00am-9:30am Team White vs. Team Green
9:40am-11:10am Team Black vs. Team Gold
1:00pm-2:50-pm Team White vs. Team Gold
3:00pm-4:50pm Team Black vs. Team Green
Thursday, August 31, 2017
9:00am-11:00am Team Green vs. Team Gold
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