Hidden gem of the north
Ty Dubreuil was one of a mere five players from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association to be picked at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
And it was the Windsor Spitfires who made the call to take the 5 foot 10, 160 pound right winger in the 14th round of the recent draft. The Spitfires paid no heed to the fact that, unlike the other four players from the north who were taken at the 2025 draft, Dubreuil was not chosen to play for Team NOHA at the OHL Cup.
The puzzling snub from Team NOHA head coach Peter Michelutti Jr. aside, Dubreuil put up 17 goals, 17 assists, 34 points in 32 regular season games for the North Bay Under 16 Trappers in ’24-25 and added a goal in three playoff outings. And it says here that, with due respect to any other 2009 birth year winger, we had Dubreuil rated as the best at his position over any other who skated within the NOHA’s Great North Hockey League in ’24-25.
Not only does character kid Dubreuil have speed but he is skilled and very smart — and with a good shot. And without the puck, Dubreuil defends the ice like a moat would surround a castle.
Add it all up and the Spitfires, under general manager Billy Bowler and scouting director Frank Evola, got enough good info on Dubreuil that they used a 14th draft pick on him. (Keep in mind that the Spitfires have two players on their current roster who are former 15th round picks by Bowler and Evola — overage scoring star Noah Morneau and rookie forward Nathan Gaymes. So, say no more about being a late round draft pick by Windsor.)
Meanwhile, Evola as the Spitfires scouting director, gave his assessment of Dubreuil.
“He is a northern kid who plays hard and has some offensive flair,” Evola said. “We see some of those northern kids have that work ethic that can play a good role on our team at some point, if everything comes to fruition.”
As for Bowler, when asked about drafting Dubreuil, the Spitfires GM simply replied: “He deserved it.”
Of note, the four others who were drafted from the north — all ahead of Dubreuil — were forward Adam Pszeniczny of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds (eighth round to the Owen Sound Attack), forward Owen Smith of the Trappers (11th round to the North Bay Battalion), forward Theo Bourdon-Lemoyne of Kapuskasing (12th round to the London Knights) and defenseman Karter Buchmann of the Trappers (13th round to the North Bay Battalion.)
photo of Ty Dubreuil by Bob Davies