London Knights and area players are all over National Hockey League rosters

The 2025-26 National Hockey League season began with 30 former London Knights and ten area players on opening night rosters or with NHL teams.

The average number of players who are in the National Hockey League who graduated from the Canadian Hockey League usually falls somewhere between six and eight.

Area players figure prominently in captains on NHL teams with Nick Suzuki, Drew Doughty and Bo Horvat all leading their teams. Add in Robert Thomas in St. Louis who was a Knight and this area’s leadership just keeps flooding through the National Hockey League..

Last year a total of 478 CHL alumni played in at least one NHL game over the course of the entire season.

That averages out to exactly 7.8 players per team over the 61 major junior teams.

London Knights on 2026-27 opening night rosters

Nikita Zadorov - Boston
Patrick Kane - Chicago
Nazem Kadri - Colorado
Evan Bouchard - Edmonton
Alex Formenton - Edmonton
Max Jones - Edmonton
Alec Regula - Edmonton
Matthew Tkachuk - Florida
Corey Perry - Los Angeles
Olli Maatta - Minnesota
Michael McCarron - Minnesota
Josh Anderson - Montreal
Luke Evangelista - New Jersey
Bo Horvat - New York Islanders
Blake Montgomery - Ottawa
Christian Dvorak - Philadelphia
Denver Barkey - Philadelphia
Sam Dickinson - San Jose
Ryan Winterton - Seattle
Robert Thomas - St. Louis
Connor McMichael - St. Louis
Logan Mailloux - St. Louis
John Carlson - Tampa Bay
Max Domi - Toronto (injured)
John Tavares - Toronto
Easton Cowan - Toronto
Anthony Stolarz - Toronto
Paul Cotter - Vancouver
Mitch Marner - Vegas
Vladislav Namestnikov - Winnipeg

London has consistently had between 28 and 32 alumni over the past decade.

A decade ago the Knights were at 29.

When it comes to area players that number was 14 if you go back ten seasons. That number has come down slightly with the retirements over the years of Jeff Carter, Logan Couture and Jake Muzzin but it still sits at ten with captains from London and area making up nearly 10 per cent of players wearing the “C”

Area players on 2026-27 opening night rosters

Bo Horvat - Rodney, Ont. - New York Islanders
Nick Suzuki - London, Ont. - Montreal Canadiens
Drew Doughty - London, Ont. - Los Angeles Kings
Nazem Kadri - London, Ont. - Colorado Avalanche
Dylan DeMelo - London, Ont. - Winnipeg Jets
Travis Konecny - Clachan, Ont. - Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan O’Reilly - Clinton, Ont. - Nashville Predators
Boone Jenner - Dorchester, Ont. - Washington Capitals
Lawson Crouse - Mt. Brydges, Ont. - Utah Mammoth
Jared McCann - Stratford, Ont. - Seattle Kraken