As the final horn sounded, the London Knights players made a mad dash to the bench to congratulate their head coach on a career milestone. Dale Hunter won his 1,000th regular season game behind the bench as the Knights beat Kingston 3-2 at Canada Life Place. He shook hands with all the players, before receiving hugs from his fellow coaches and staff. After the game, the players gathered in front of their dressing room stalls and started the chant “we want Dale.” With anticipation building, Hunter walked into the room. “Thanks so much, guys,” Hunter told the team in a video posted to London Knights social media. “All the sweat through how many years. A lot of you guys have been here for three-to-four years, but every game, guys, you’ve given it all. Big part of it here and thank you for my 1,000th win.” The players then doused their boss with 50 water bottles, which has become a team tradition whenever a major milestone has been reached. After the victory, his former players started sending congratulations and posting on social media. Max Domi and Brett Welychka were among those commenting on the congratulatory video. “It was a true honor and privilege to be coached by one of the all-time greats,” Stephen Sanza, former Knights captain wrote online. “His leadership, dedication, and passion for not only the game, but his players is unmatched. His influence on the ice and in the locker room has had a lasting impact on all of us! Congrats Dale!” It is evident Hunter loves his job. He’ll turn 65 this year and still shows the enthusiasm for the game, and love for all the players he refers to as “his kids.” He’s the first to the rink in the morning and still rides the bus on road trips. Hunter is one win away from his seventh 50-win season and achieved the 1,000th win milestone in a whopping 1,490 games. It’s a feat which may never be duplicated. Next up is the only coach with more wins, Brian Kilrea. He has 1,194 and at the pace the Knights are going, Hunter should pass that mark by 2030, should he decide to coach that long. The victory also moved the Knights closer to clinching their second straight Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the league’s top seed. Their next game in Sunday afternoon in Sarnia. A combination of four points gained by London or lost by Kitchener will give the Knights the regular season crown. The faster they do that, the more rest their players will get before heading into what they hope will be another long post-season run.
