Vancouver Island hockey fans may have a unique opportunity to see one of the top prospects up close this September.
On Monday, the Victoria Royals (WHL) and London Knights (OHL) announced a unique collaboration that will see the Knights travel to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for a two-game showcase.
Dubbed the “Clash of the Kingdoms,” the inaugural event will mark the first inter-league matchup between OHL and WHL clubs outside of the Memorial Cup.
Vancouver Canucks 2025 second-round pick Aleksei Medvedev is expected to be one of the key names to watch. The St. Petersburg, Russia native has established himself as one of the London Knights’ go-to netminders and is projected to take on a larger role as the team’s starter heading into the 2026–27 season. Assuming his schedule aligns ahead of Canucks development and training camp, Medvedev could be in line to suit up in Victoria to give local fans a rare chance to watch a high-end Canucks prospect from a neighbouring league live. Medvedev, who was selected 47th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is currently in his second season with the Knights, where he has split time in net. While he opened the year as one of the OHL’s top-performing goaltenders, his numbers have dipped slightly as the season has progressed. He remains a key piece of London’s plans moving forward and is expected to play a major role between the pipes next season.
The 18-year-old has posted a 38-22-5 record, along with a 3.04 goals against average, a .902 save percentage, and three shutouts with the Knights. As part of a Memorial Cup-winning London team, he was also awarded the OHL’s Best Rookie GAA (Dinty Moore Trophy) with a 2.79 mark and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.
According to the Victoria Royals’ press release, the weekend will also feature an outdoor Fan Fest, including live music, games, and additional activities surrounding the arena. The games are scheduled for Friday, September 4, at 7:00 PM and Saturday, September 5, at 4:00 PM.
