Knights’ man-advantage powering offensive burst
The London Knights’ offense has come to life after a quiet start to the 2023-24 season. A big reason? Scoring on the power play. Columnist Jake Jeffrey explains how the Knights have made it happen — with big help from Bonk, the ‘bumper.’
(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography)
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A tweak to the power play was just the spark the London Knights’ offense needed.
In early November, London was in the lower half of the league when it came to the man advantage. Now? They’re among the most lethal units with a 29.1% efficiency rate.
Oliver Bonk will deflect the credit to his linemates, but there is no denying that the defenseman’s move to the bumper role was a significant reason the powerplay has seen such a surge in production in recent games.
The Knights now lead the OHL with 25 powerplay goals entering action Wednesday — five of which have come off Bonk’s stick.
“We know each other pretty well by now, so it helps with me getting the read on them,” Bonk told Gameday London.
The turning point seemed to be Nov. 9 against Windsor — a game the Knights scored 10 goals and went 3-for-6 with the man-advantage. With seven goals against in that contest, it may not have been a banner game for defense and goaltending, but Bonk scored his first of the season — and it was a powerplay goal from that bumper position.
The Knights had just eight goals with the man-advantage before that, scoring on 16% of their powerplay opportunities. In the nine games since, they’ve tallied 17 powerplay goals, good for an eye-popping 45.9% efficiency rate. Whenever you can score on nearly half of your power plays, good things are going to happen.
Bonk, a first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, says teams have started to take notice — and they’ve recently started paying more attention to him in the slot.
“It doesn’t really work because there are four other really skilled and talented guys, and we just open up for each other really nicely,” Bonk said. “Everyone on that powerplay can make plays, so it makes it really hard on the penalty killers.”
Along with the third-year defenseman, the Knights’ top unit consists of four other NHL draft picks — Kasper Halttunen (San Jose), Easton Cowan (Toronto), Denver Barkey (Philadelphia), and Jacob Julien (Winnipeg). Halttunen works his off-wing looking for a one timer, Cowan and Barkey utilize their skating and playmaking abilities on the other side, and Julien covers the down-low area at the side of the net.
“Every guy can score, so that makes it dangerous,” Bonk said.
Halttunen leads the OHL with 10 powerplay markers, half of which came before Bonk’s move to the bumper position. It was evident from the Finnish forward’s first game that he has a big shot and isn’t afraid to use it. But earlier in the season, when teams tried to take away that shot, the powerplay had a tough time creating chances and sustaining pressure.
Assistant coach Rick Steadman says special teams are all about adjustments, and they coaching staff knew that something needed to be altered.
“Everybody fears Halttunen’s shot. Whenever you have a good one-timer like that, teams will cheat that way a little bit, lean that way a little bit, and it does open that bumper area,” said Steadman. “If you have a guy like Bonk that’s putting them in right now, then you don’t know which way to go and it confuses the penalty killers out there.”
Oliver Bonk has taken on the ‘bumper’ role and helped turn the Knights’ powerplay unit into a major threat for opposing teams. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography)
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Traditionally a position played by a forward (although more teams are experimenting with strong two-way defensemen in the role), the bumper slot patrols the middle slot area on the powerplay. They provide screens when the puck is at the point, and create seams and passing lanes from the half wall. And they can slide out to the slot when the puck goes down low.
“It’s more positioning than making plays with the puck,” said Bonk. “You have to be in the right spot for screens or tips, or getting that pass down low from Julien in the slot.”
Julien has assisted on four of Bonk’s five goals this season.
The defenseman’s contribution to the powerplay has been more than just scoring goals. He’s also been creating them. His eight powerplay assists, in fact, are tied for the team lead along with Barkey and Cowan.
Steadman says Bonk’s defensive skills contribute to his success just as much as his offensive ones.
“One of the most important things he’s doing is puck recovery. He’s doing a great job jumping in there and finding loose pucks and rebounds,” Steadman said. “He’s giving our powerplay two or three attempts at the net, and anytime you can do that you have a good chance to score.”
His work killing penalties and defending the slot is something Bonk thinks has helped him adjust to his new role.
“As a defenseman, I know how hard it can be to clear pucks on the PK. The smallest poke check or stick lift can really mess up your clearing attempt,” he said. “I have an appreciation for how easily I can prevent that just by getting a stick on it.”
Bonk says it was assistant coach Dylan Hunter who approached him about a move to the bumper role.
A suggestion from someone who scored 66 powerplay goals during his time in the OHL? That’s certainly a suggestion worth considering.
Knight Watch: London has won seven straight; Cowan’s point streak reaches 47 games; Defense, goaltenders have stepped up during streak; Sim starts to score; It’s North Bay, Guelph this weekend …