Pair of London Knights very familiar with Memorial Cup opponents

Landon Sim looking forward to Memorial Cup tournament in Quebec.

It’s an east coast homecoming for Landon Sim.

“I had a chance to pick between the “O” (OHL) and the Quebec League when I was 15, and I picked the OHL. Now I’m going to finish off my junior career in Quebec, so it’s kind of funny, but I can’t wait,” said Sim.

While most players from Atlantic Canada are required to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Sim was eligible for both as his father Jon Sim played for the Sarnia Sting in the mid-90s.

In a tournament of unknowns, Sim is the one Knight with an inside scoop on both the Moncton Wildcats and Rimouski Oceanic.

“I know some from playing against them when I was younger, and a couple of them are from my town, so it’s pretty special,” said Sim, who has 12 goals in 17 playoff games this season.

When it comes to the Medicine Hat Tigers, goalie Austin Elliott has the scouting report. Two of his former Saskatoon Blades teammates - defenseman Tanner Molendyk—a Nashville Predators prospect—and forward Misha Volotovskii – were traded to the Tigers from the Blades in January.

“I’ve talked to both of them,” said Elliott, referring to recent communication after finding out they’ll be facing each other. “It’ll be so funny playing against them. That’s another thing I can’t even imagine. I’ll have to try not to laugh when I see those two guys are coming in on me. It’ll be fun playing them and seeing them there.”

Knights assistant coaches Dylan Hunter and Rick Steadman have spent hours pouring over video of all three opponents.

“You watch a couple of their series, you know seven or eight games on each team,” said Hunter. “Obviously when you’re playing against guys in this league, you know them, you know the players, and you’ve seen them play. It takes a little bit more trying to go down the line up there, getting the understanding of each player and tendencies and what lines you like to put on certain situations.”

Hunter does think they have an advantage having been through this many times, including last year in Saginaw, Mich.

“Play your strengths, which is the reason you got there,” added Hunter. “You can’t do too much to change your game up. You’ve got to go in there, do what you’re good at and see if you come out on top.”

Sim said he’s never been to Rimouski but does make the drive by the road signs when heading back to the Maritimes after each season.

“I turn right to go home, which is like a six-hour drive,” said Sim. “If I go straight, there’s a sign that goes just to Rimouski. I circled that last year, going home and I said to the boys, ‘We have it here next year.’ We’re going there next year now. It’s probably a good town, the ocean’s right there, and any town near the ocean is good by me.”

He’s hoping a successful opening weekend in the tournament will put them in a position to get more downtime and sightseeing. He can show his teammates around his part of the country.