Oliver Bonk was the first member of the London Knights to hear his name called at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Six picks later Easton Cowan joined his teammate in stepping up on stage in Nashville, Tenn.
Bonk went 22nd overall to the Philadelphia Flyers and was the fifth defenceman taken.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made Cowan the 28th overall pick.
Bonk led off his first full season in the OHL by scoring the first goal of the year on opening night against the Owen Sound Attack and worked his way into all situations on the ice.
The Ottawa, Ont., native had 10 goals and 40 points and even scored two shootout winners.
Bonk was named to the Canadian Hockey League’s All-Rookie team.
Bonk’s dad Radek played 14 seasons in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators.
Cowan rose up the ranks among scouting prognosticators all year thanks to his relentless play.
The winger from Mt. Brydges, Ont., had 20 goals and 59 points in the regular season and added 21 more points in 20 games during London’s run to the OHL Championship series.
Cowan played his minor hockey with Elgin-Middlesex and is the first Knights player selected by the Maple Leafs since Mitch Marner was chosen by Toronto in 2015.
More names with London connections are waiting to be selected on Day 2 of the draft.
Denver Barkey is rated as a second rounder by Hockeyprospect.com and is coming off a sensational sophomore season with London.
Barkey was third in Knights scoring with 22 goals and 59 points in the 2022-23 regular season and then added 24 points in 20 playoff games.
Goaltender Zach Bowen was named to the OHL’s first All-Rookie team. He posted a shutout in Game 1 of the OHL Championship Series and also put up 15 consecutive victories which brought him just one away from the OHL rookie record for most wins in a row in a single season. Bowen was the 15th rated North American-born goaltender according to NHL Central Scouting.
Forward Jacob Julien began the season with the London Nationals and his start helped Julien to become a full-time Knight by early December. Julien continued to improve through0ut the year and ended up 161st among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final list.
There are also three Knights draft picks who are expected to be picked.
Jonathan Castagna is a centre who played for the Toronto Marlboros and St. Andrew’s College this past year. He is set to play for the Penticton Vees in 2023-24. Castagna was London’s eighth round pick in 2021.
Defenceman Arem Minnetian was selected in the seventh round by the Knights in 2021. Minnetian is from New Jersey and is due to go to Boston College next season.
Kasper Haltunen was the Knights top Import Draft pick in 2022. He spent last year in Finland where he captained the national Under-18 team.