The London Knights and Niagara Ice Dogs have met twice in the Ontario Hockey League Championship series. That happened in 2012 and 2015, meaning their most memorable meetings have been on the ice.
On Tuesday, the two clubs got together off the ice on a deal to send overage forward Sam Miletic to the Ice Dogs ahead of the OHL overage trade deadline.
Teams are permitted to have three 20-year-old players on their rosters. The deadline to deal those players comes one day prior to the official OHL trade deadline so teams can ensure that they are under the overage limit and that players who fit that description have places to play.
In the deal, London received three-second round picks and a third-round pick. The Knights also included a third rounder in the trade that Knights general manager Rob Simpson said was initiated by the Ice Dogs.
“Niagara had spoken to us within the last week about what we might do with Sam Miletic and obviously (Tuesday) they became a little more aggressive in wanting to acquire Sam,” Simpson said.
The deal, London’s fourth trade in the past six days, becomes one of those trades in which both sides come out of the deal happy.
“A player like Sam with how he is doing offensively, his ability to play 200-feet and with his character was what they were looking for in an (overage) spot,” Simpson explained.
Miletic was signed to a three-year entry level contract by the Pittsburgh Penguins in September and would be too old to return to the OHL next year.
The move will open up more opportunities for other players on the Knights to get some added ice time down the stretch.
“It does give our younger guys a chance to be put into different situations that they wouldn’t be otherwise,” Simpson said. “Hopefully with our coaches, we can kind of fast-track them and get them up to speed quicker.”
The draft picks the Knights have acquired mean they could have three selections in the top-25 of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection depending on how the standings finish up this season.
The OHL’s final trade deadline arrives at noon on Wednesday. Simpson said as of late Tuesday, the Knights were not actively pursuing any more deals but that doesn’t they aren’t open to conversations.
“It’s hard to say what might happen, whether we are done or whether we will make any acquisitions. We’re just going to take it as it comes and see what comes at this point.”
The Sarnia Sting added added another forward on Tuesday, acquiring Michael Pezzetta from Sudbury. Pezzetta is a draft choice of the Montreal Canadiens.
The Wolves also moved overage forward Troy Lajeunesse to the Erie Otters for a 5th-round pick in 2020.
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