Two 15th round Spitfires
The Spitfires are proving that the 15th and final round of a given Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft can pay dividends. The latest 15th rounder to sign with Windsor is 6 foot 1, 180 pound forward Nathan Gaymes.
Gaymes was selected 286th overall by the Spitfires at the 2022 OHL priority selections draft. He joins a Windsor lineup ahead of the ’24-25 OHL season that includes 2004 birth year forward Noah Morneau, who Windsor took in the 15th round, 294th overall, back in 2000.
Gaymes was originally selected by the Spitfires from the Don Mills Flyers at the ’22 OHL draft. He subsequently played for the Toronto U18 Jr. Canadiens in ’22-23 and potted 20 goals, 20 assists, 40 points in 67 games. He then left his GTA area home to play for the Spitfires’ Jr. B affiliate, the Lasalle Vipers, for the ’23-24 season. In 46 regular season games for LaSalle — which is a suburb of Windsor — Gaymes was good for 20 goals, 14 assists, 34 points. He also appeared in 11 playoff games and had a goal and five assists. Gaymes got called up to the OHL and the Spitfires late in the ’23-24 season and potted two goals in four games.
Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler noted that Gaymes “is a gamer. He is a competitive kid who has earned his chance in our league. He brings intensity every shift and his work ethic has given him this opportunity.”
As for the 6 foot, 170 pound Morneau who is a local Windsor product, he has exceeded any and all expectations for a player taken in the last round of the 2020 OHL draft from the Under 16 Windsor Jr. Spitfires of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario.
After spending the ’21-22 season with the aforementioned LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League and clicking for 16 goals, 29 assists, 45 points in 39 games, Morneau has since taken his game to the OHL level and a player worthy of a coveted overage spot.
Following a ’22-23 rookie season in the OHL in which he netted seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points in 65 games, Morneau upped those numbers to 13-21-34 in ’23-24. Already known for his defensive skills, Morneau was also one of the Spitfires better offensive producers over the final quarter of the ’23-24 campaign.
Bowler, as the Spitfires GM, told Hockey News Windsor that Morneau “exemplifies what it is to be a Spitfire. Not only is he a great kid but he is a great ambassador for our program and for his hometown of Windsor.”