Scouting Luke St. John
Frank Evola, who is the scouting director for the Windsor Spitfires, had ample opportunity to assess homegrown defenseman Luke St. John ahead of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
Given that St. John (in photo at left) was taking a regular shift as a top defender for the Windsor Jr. Spitfires of the Under 16 level of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario, Evola was able to keep a nearby watch on the 2009 birth year youngster.
So, suffice to say that the OHL Spitfires had a very good idea what they were getting when they drafted the 5 foot 10, 160 pound St. John in the 13th round of the recent draft.
“He has a lot of offensive ability,” Evola said. “There are things we like. He can really zip the puck and is kind of a power play guy. If he can work on other parts of his game, the door is open for him.”
In 35 games, regular season and playoffs included for the U16 Jr. Spits, St. John fired up 14 goals, 13 assists, 27 points.
U16 Jr. Spitfires head coach Matt Zuccato had his own words of analysis on St. John.
“He is a skilled player who loves to jump in on the rush and has a great shot,” Zuccato relayed to Hockey News Windsor.
St. John was able to attract the attention of the OHL Spitfires while developing with the U16 Jr. Spitfires under the watch of Zuccato and a staff that included assistant coaches Al Gibson and Nate Crankshaw.
Of note, Crankshaw has since been appointed head coach of the Under 15 Jr. Spitfires ahead of the ’25-26 Alliance season.