Methot relives London memories – Ontario Hockey League

If you’ve tuned in to Marc Methot’s new podcast, The Wally and Methot Show, you’ll have noticed his framed #3 London Knights jersey hung up on the wall prominently behind him.

“That was arguably the most fun I’ve ever had as a hockey player in my career,” said the former London defenceman on Instagram Live earlier this week.

Methot hopped on the team’s account (@LondonKnights) for a live Q&A with radio voice of the Knights, Mike Stubbs, on Tuesday. From his iconic 2005 Memorial Cup run to his love for chicken parmesan, the Knights graduate, retired NHL defenceman and newest Ottawa podcaster was happy to answer some fan-submitted questions and relive some standout memories.

The 35-year-old, who now resides in his hometown of Ottawa with his wife and kids, monitored the blue line in London from 2002-05 and was a piece of the club’s iconic 2004-05 run and eventual Memorial Cup championship.

“I think what made my last year so special was that it was an NHL lockout year so I know everything was just amplified and the spotlight was shining down, certainly Canada-wise, on the CHL,” he remembered. “When I look back now, it was all a blur.”

Catch @MarcMethot3 on Instagram Live TONIGHT at 7️⃣:0️⃣0️⃣PM!#KnightsAlumni pic.twitter.com/agynu3KGHE

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) March 16, 2021

That winning season might’ve been a blur, but fans remember the details well, including the team’s opening Memorial Cup matchup with Rimouski in which Methot scored the overtime winner as part of a three-point performance in a 4-3 victory over Sidney Crosby and the Rimouski Oceanic.

“That was like an out of body experience,” he continued, looking back on that particular game. “I never scored any goals and then I happened to get two big ones against Crosby’s team. I was just elated after the game, overcome with emotion. As you know my family is from Ottawa, a long six and a half to seven hour drive, so my parents didn’t get the opportunity to come up all the time. The fact that they were there and my brother was there made it so special. I didn’t want to celebrate too hard, it was just game one, but nevertheless it’s something I’ll absolutely never forget.“

The Knights, housing big names that included Corey Perry, Rob Schremp and Brandon Prust, would eventually face the Oceanic in the Memorial Cup final, blanking them 4-0 to hoist the trophy in front of a home crowd and top off the winningest season in OHL history.

“I’m still surprised [Perry] passed it over to me. I don’t know what was going through his head but it was an idiotic play on his part. Nevertheless, super happy that he did it.” Methot joked about his Game 1 overtime winner. “I remember [Daniel Girardi] left me that whole side wide open…the stars aligned on that shot and it worked out in my benefit.”

Among the names on that stacked lineup was also Danny Syvret, with whom Methot has maintained a close friendship with and shares many fond memories with, including nights playing Xbox together.

“I can’t speak enough about Syv because he was literally the perfect captain to have with all the personalities we had on that team,” he said of his former teammate. “I don’t want to say we were arrogant, but we were certainly a very confident group and Syv just commanded a respect. He was very well-spoken, never got too excited, and just a very good communicator. He was kind of the glue that kept us all together and kept us sane. I can’t say enough about him. He was a very instrumental part of the success we had in London.”

Speaking of respect and instrumental success, Methot also shared some positive words about playing under the guidance of Dale Hunter.

“You were going to give it all you had because that was a strength of his. He just stood there and commanded a respect and we all respected him,” he said. “Bringing in his experience is something that is intangible as a coach; it’s priceless and so I was very fortune to play or him because it prepared me for the NHL. I’m glad I got to play for Mark and Dale because both of them knew how to run an organization.”

Methot was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL Draft and played 13 NHL seasons as a member of the Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Vegas Golden Knights. Experiencing knee pain not long into the 2018-19 season, Methot made the difficult choice to step away from the game and has recently ventured into the podcast world alongside Ottawa reporter Brent Wallace.

Episode #4 of #TheWallyAndMethotShow with @ErikKarlsson65!@MarcMethot3‘s former D partner shares some old stories, adds a little context to some recent quotes and more!

Plus @JimWatsonOttawa stops by! Catch it all on YouTube: https://t.co/ai28Ytbn9P pic.twitter.com/OFyJLta00k

— The Wally and Methot Show (@wallyandmethot) March 18, 2021

“It’s becoming a little more natural and I’m feeling a little more comfortable criticizing and analyzing games,” he said of his new project, The Wally and Methot show. “I’m enjoying it. It’s different but it’s allowing me to keep a foot in the game and that’s what I want.”

Methot dove into a number of topics including his chemistry with defensive partner Erik Karlsson, his memorable 2017 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and being chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft only to be traded to the Dallas Stars where he’d finish out his playing career. Looking back even further, he touched on his jump from the OHL to the AHL and finally the NHL, crediting his time in London with helping him flourish in the pro ranks.

“I established good habits in junior and a lot of that was just being in a professional environment playing in London. I’m so fortune I came out of that system because the way the Hunters ran it was incredible, it was almost a professional process leading up to the NHL. I say this a lot: I’m very thankful I had the opportunity there.”

And of course, he had to give a shout-out to London’s diehard fan base.

“Everyone was always extremely respectful. I can’t say enough about the people in London. I miss it incredibly,” he said.

Watch Methot’s full Q&A on the London Knights’ Instagram page.