’ Dogs add Knights scoring leader
Over- ager Sam Miletic comes to Niagara for picks in deadline deal
The Niagara IceDogs have acquired the Ontario Hockey League’s fourth- leading scorer in a trade deadline deal that will keep on giving.
In exchange for over- ager Sam Miletic and the Sudbury Wolves’ third- round pick in this year’s OHL draft, the London Knights will receive the Peterborough Petes’ secondround pick this year, secondround picks in 2024 and 2025 as well as a third- round pick in 2022.
IceDogs general manager Joey Burke can’t wait for the 6- foot- 1, 201- pound forward to make his debut in the Niagara lineup at home Thursday night against the Erie Otters.
“We want to win our division,” Burke said in a trade alert posted on the team’s website. “Sam is the best player who was available in the league, at any age, by far.”
At the time of the trade, Miletic, 20, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, was leading the Knights in scoring with 16 goals and 38 assists for 54 points in 35 games.
Last year, in his second season in London, he had 37 goals and 18 assists for 55 points in 65 games.
“He is a perfect addition to our group, and his elite offensive instincts will help us get to where we want to be this season.”
The IceDogs were able to round out their complement of three overagers without losing anything in the next six drafts other than a thirdround pick, which is not expected to impact the team’s plans for the 2018- 19 season.
“This is a huge move for us, and a notice to the our room and the rest of the East( ern Conference),” Burke said. “We are real.
“We are ready to make some noise.”
The Knights hope the IceDogs can make a deep playoff run now that they have bolstered their offence with Miletic.
“He has a chance to go to a very young and competitive team, where he will be able to compete for a championship,” general manager Rob Simpson said. “We would like to thank him for all of his passion and dedication he brought to our franchise.
“We are very proud of what Sam has been able to accomplish as a member of the London Knights.”
Simpson said the draft picks from Niagara will allow London to continue building a “competitive franchise for years to come.”
The IceDogs and the Knights are the only teams in the 20team league to have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past 10 seasons.
Miletic, who signed an entrylevel contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the offseason, is the second over- age forward Niagara has acquired from London this season. On Nov. 17, Adrian Carbonara came to the IceDogs in exchange for a fourth- round pick in the 2020 draft.
Before coming to Niagara, the 6- foot- 2, 204- pound forward had 28 goals, 55 points and 245 penalty minutes in 164 OHL games with the Barrie Colts and London.
Carbonara has three goals and two assists in 22 games since joining the IceDogs.
Niagara currently sits second in the Central Division with a 2112- 3- 2 record, two points behind Barrie, 23- 13- 2- 1. The IceDogs have a game in hand.