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Five London storylines to watch throughout the 2022-23 NHL season

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri skates in a game against the Seattle Kraken at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri skates in a game against the Seattle Kraken at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

As the puck drops on the National Hockey League season this week, there is always a ton of pride in London and the area. This city, its training facilities and the London Knights continue to churn out world-class talent. These days, you can click on almost any game and find a Forest City connection. Here’s some storylines to follow as the 2022-23 regular season gets rolling this week:

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner celebrates a goal against the Winnipeg Jets. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner celebrates a goal against the Winnipeg Jets. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

There have been some great lines in Knights history, but the trio of Mitch Marner, Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk is right up there with the best in major junior hockey annals. They led the way to the 2016 Memorial Cup title and now they’re big-time performers in The Show. In fact, their combined annual salaries are just shy of a mind-boggling $25 million. Last year, they all played in Canada. This time, they will all be battling in the Atlantic Division after a blockbuster deal sent Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames to the Florida Panthers. Marner and Dvorak renewed their friendship — and on-ice hostilities — when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens launched their respective campaigns Wednesday in Montreal.

New Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is flanked by assistant captains Joel Edmondson, left, and Brendan Gallagher while sitting for a team photo at their annual golf tournament in Laval, north of Montreal, on Monday September 12, 2022. (John Mahoney/Postmedia)
New Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is flanked by assistant captains Joel Edmondson, left, and Brendan Gallagher while sitting for a team photo at their annual golf tournament in Laval, north of Montreal, on Monday September 12, 2022. (John Mahoney/Postmedia)

The heart and soul of five franchises have roots here. Knights grad and Rodney native Bo Horvat (Vancouver Canucks) and Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks) were named captains of their clubs before the 2019-20 season. Conn Smythe winner and 2019 Stanley Cup champ Ryan O’Reilly earned the C from the St. Louis Blues in 2020 after Alex Pietrangelo signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. Dorchester’s Boone Jenner is heading into his second season as the Columbus Blue Jackets captain and Londoner Nick Suzuki became the 31st captain in Canadiens’ history in September. That’s a lot of leadership from one area of ​​the hockey world. There are currently 26 NHL captains with six teams choosing to keep the C vacant for now.

Corey Perry of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates after a goal by Mikhail Sergachev (not pictured) in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on June 9, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Corey Perry of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates after a goal by Mikhail Sergachev (not pictured) in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on June 9, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

It stings right now and all the haters love to see it happen, but Corey Perry’s personal run of three straight Stanley Cup final appearances with different teams is an incredible accomplishment. The 37-year-old Londoner lost with the Dallas Stars to Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020, fell short with Montreal to the Lightning in 2021 and joined the Lightning, whose three-peat bid ended against Colorado in the final last year. The all-time Knight and future Hall of Famer is on the final season of his two-year contract with the Bolts and is certainly no passenger. He scored 19 goals and played all 82 games for the first time in five years. More than that, he’s money in the playoffs and still a supreme agitator around the net. He already has one Cup with Anaheim in 2007 and has been agonizingly close to another recently. No matter what, he’s a winner.

NHL star Nazem Kadri carries the Stanley Cup inside the London Muslim Mosque before a public event and parade in London on Saturday Aug. 27, 2022. (Jonathan Juha/The London Free Press)
NHL star Nazem Kadri carries the Stanley Cup inside the London Muslim Mosque before a public event and parade in London on Saturday Aug. 27, 2022. (Jonathan Juha/The London Free Press)

Nazem Kadri played through pain, proved the doubters wrong and became the first NHLer to bring the Stanley Cup to a mosque to kick off his personal day of celebration after the Colorado Avalanche parade. The 32-year-old Londoner has always been a warrior and now he’s playing in Calgary for Darryl Sutter, who should adore him. Kadri has been a trustworthy scorer for a long time, but now he’s being paid like a guy who has to drive the play. There are a lot of expectations surrounding the Flames after an interesting off-season. Some of the must-watch games on the schedule will be when Kadri and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid face off, as well as Kadri tangling with Drew Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings. Doughty needs a new No. 1 enemy now that Tkachuk has moved east.

Patrick Kane waves to the crowd after watching his No. 88 from the London Knights retired at Budweiser Gardens in 2020. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)
Patrick Kane waves to the crowd after watching his No. 88 from the London Knights retired at Budweiser Gardens in 2020. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

Patrick Kane has his No. 88 hanging in the Budweiser Gardens rafters and is forever a Knights legend. But his time as one of the greats in Chicago Blackhawks history appears to be winding down. When the Hawks’ fire sale started this summer, the 33-year-old star scorer immediately became the No. 1 face of the trade rumor mill. There are a ton of teams interested, but the one to land him will have to have both the cap flexibility and the young talent or draft picks Chicago needs. Kane can still light up the scoreboard with the best of them and he will be re-energized by joining a team with a chance to win his fourth career Stanley Cup.

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