Where has Ernie King been ?

[Greg Ernest 39]

Junior/International

In 2017 Ernie King was drafted #7 overall in the OHA Priority Selection by the Soo Thunderbirds of the Ontario Hockey Association. During the 2018 season Ernie was playing for the LA Jr Kings U18 AAA and finished regular season league play registering 14 goals along with 14 assists in 20 games played combining for 28 Pts in 20 GP in a 18U Major Midget league as a triple underaged just recently turning 15 before the season started.

Making the jump to Major Junior was nothing for Ernie as his skills translated at the next level right away. His first season with his hometown Thunderbird team he won awards for Most Assists by a Rookie (47), Most Points by a Rookie (86) as well as the OHA Rookie of the Year and more prestigiously the Canadian Hockey Association Rookie of the year. The next year, in 2018, King played 3 games for the Thunderbirds before being traded to the twin city border rivals Soo Eagles where he would spend the next two seasons.

During the summer of 2020 Rob was selected by the Prague Phantoms in the Fourth round of the S72 VHL Draft, 46th overall In the following weeks the VHLM team that has been talking to him for years the Yukon Rush take Ernie in the 6^th round 57^th Ovr securing his rights with high hopes he join the Rush before going Pro with the Phantoms. . Before making the jump to the VHL continued to play in the OHA and further develop as a player after being drafted by the Phantoms and more recently Rush.

He helped lead the Eagles to an OHA Championship and Canadian Tire Cup championship in 2019. He was also selected to represent his country at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games to represent Canada, in North Dakota where he scored four goals in seven games.

In 2018-2019 King scored 66 goals and 88 assists, good for 154 points in 57 regular season games. He went on to score 11 goals and record 37 assists in 19 playoff games as well. That year he was named to the CHA First All-Star Team as after leading the OHA in assists, goals, points, playoff assists and playoff points. The Eagles lost in the OHA championship to Thunder Bay that season. King once again represented Canada (This time as an Assistant Captain) at the U18-Hlinka Gretzky Tournament. He went on to score six points throughout round robin en route to a devastatingly disappointing loss in the quarterfinals.

Rob played with many notable players during his time in the OHA including “A Racoon”, “Your Sister”,” Alittle Girl” as well as “Oscar Myer”

 

Professional

Before the S72 pre-season King fractured his right ankle, which lead to months of rehab and an uncertain diagnosis on his recovery time. After a lot of time spent thinking and evaluating his career path during the pre-season Ernie made the decision to come over to the VHLM signing a 1 season contract with none other than the Yukon Rush in S71 as a waiver signing after spending the first four months in of the season rehabbing . Ernie knows his role and has always known, in AAA and Jr A he was the scorer, now hes the tough guy and needs to be the best in his own end above scoring. He also made his VHLM debut that year. On April 5, 2020 King suited up for the Rush and recorded 2 shots on goal while skating 14 minutes of ice time. King put up 1 Goal and 2 Assists in 41 Games averaging almost a hit per shift that season in a very limited role that season. Yukon ending up going all the way to the finals in S71, Ernie garnered some invaluable playoff experience in his bag as a rookie playing in 15 playoff games. The Following season after signing his entry level deal with Prague during that time Ernie was only able to crack the top 3 lines and averaged very low minutes per game. Struggling to find his place with Mexico seeming VERY lost, King’s career looks like it might be coming to an end much sooner than anyone anticipated. After an abysmal 18 GP these playoffs with Mexico recording zeros across the stat line throughout 18 games.

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