The London Knights have moved one of their emerging offensive pieces. On Sunday, the Saginaw Spirit announced they acquired 18-year-old left-shot forward Braidy Wassilyn from the London Knights in exchange for forward Carson Harmer and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Trade details and immediate context
The deal, confirmed in a Saginaw team release, sends Wassilyn — who spent the bulk of the 2025-26 season with London after an earlier move from the Niagara IceDogs — to Michigan. Saginaw general manager Dave Drinkill lauded Wassilyn's offensive skill and recent development, noting the impact the player has already shown at junior and under-17 international levels.
“We are extremely excited to add Braidy to our group here in Saginaw. He is a highly skilled player with game-breaking ability, and I saw firsthand what he can bring to a team during our time at U17’s. We believe we have added another proven, dynamic offensive weapon to our very talented forward group. The experience he’s gaining at an NHL camp will be valuable to our entire group, and we can’t wait to get started with Braidy in the coming weeks.”
Drinkill’s comments were included in the Spirit announcement. The move comes while Wassilyn is attending the Montreal Canadiens' rookie camp, which runs from Sept. 11-15, adding an NHL-camp backdrop to the timing of the transaction.
Wassilyn’s production and background
Wassilyn, from Campbellville, Ont., compiled strong numbers in his sophomore OHL season. In 62 games he recorded 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points, finishing fourth in team scoring for the Knights. He had an immediate impact after joining London in October, registering a point in 11 of his first 14 games (9G-6A for 15 points).
His development traces back to his rookie season in the OHL with the Niagara IceDogs, when he posted 8 goals and 31 assists for 39 points. He was originally selected fourth overall by the IceDogs in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection and has represented Canada on the U17 stage, winning a silver medal with Canada Red at the U17 World Challenge where he scored 2G-1A in four games.
| Season | Team | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | London Knights (after trade from Niagara) | 62 | 19 | 27 | 46 |
| 2024-25 | Niagara IceDogs | — | 8 | 31 | 39 |
What London and Knights fans should expect
For London supporters, the departure of Wassilyn removes one of the Knights’ younger offensive options who had risen quickly through the OHL ranks. The return of Carson Harmer and a future draft pick provides the club with an experienced, familiar OHL forward and a pick that could be used down the road in the 2027 Priority Selection or as trade currency.
Harmer, who was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit in the third round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, has logged significant OHL minutes. Across his time with Saginaw he skated in 134 games and registered 41 goals and 53 assists for 94 points. The Knights will be acquiring a player with established OHL experience and a body of work that suggests consistency and durability at the junior level.
- The Knights lose a rising scorer who finished fourth in team scoring for London in 2025-26.
- They gain a player with substantial OHL experience in Carson Harmer and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
- Wassilyn's participation in the Canadiens' rookie camp gives him immediate exposure to NHL-level coaching and evaluation during the transition.
Broader implications and next steps
Trades at the OHL level frequently balance present roster needs with future planning. For London, bringing in an experienced forward in Harmer suggests the team is aiming to bolster depth and steadiness up front, while the fourth-round pick offers a longer-term asset. For Wassilyn, the move to Saginaw represents an opportunity to join a new attacking group and continue his upward trajectory, with the added benefit of his NHL-camp experience this week.
Fans in London will watch how the Knights redistribute offensive minutes and whether the team can replace the spark Wassilyn provided during his time with the club. At the same time, local scouts and team staff will be monitoring Wassilyn’s performance at NHL camp and his early games in Saginaw to evaluate the full impact of the trade.
This report is based on team announcements from the Saginaw Spirit and public OHL statistics for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
