Spits ready for takeoff
A season of turbulence is on the exit ramp. Jet smooth skyways are part of the flight plan for the Spitfires ahead of the looming Ontario Hockey League season.
After two successive first place finishes as pilots of the Western Conference in ’21-22 and ’22-23, the Spitfires slipped into the depths of last place among the 10 teams of their assembly in ’23-24. But let us say that ’23-24 was a rebuild towards a ’24-25 rebirth.
Indeed, as some members among the 20 teams of the OHL are seemingly satisfied with continuous mediocrity and indifference, Windsor general manager Billy Bowler has quickly re-positioned the Spitfires for a return to higher flight in ’24-25.
One only has to have a casual conversation with Bowler to recognize his straightforward ways of doing business. And the attention to detail and tireless preparation that Bowler puts into his job as general manager of the Spitfires gives one that notion that Windsor should rise from the 10th place depths of the Western Conference to more of a top five rank in ’24-25.
In fact, do not be surprised if the Spitfires go from the bottom of the Western Conference to the top, either this coming season or next. Bowler, as the GM, did not begin the re-shape of the Spitfires because they missed the playoffs this past spring. Rather, he began it last fall — and has carried it through in the time since with several notable trades that yielded the Spitfires younger players while also re-stocking the draft cupboard in astonishing fashion.
To be sure, the ’24-25 edition of the Spitfires has the makings of being a good one. How good, of course, remains to be seen.
Forwards. Three 2006 birth year skaters taken in the first three rounds of the 2024 National Hockey League draft all figure to play starring roles in Windsor over the next couple of OHL seasons. They are Liam Greentree (first round, Los Angeles Kings), A.J Spellacy (third round, Chicago Blackhawks) and newly signed import Ilya Protas (third round, Washington Capitals.) All in all, the Spitfires have six of their top scoring forwards from ’23-24 returning in ’24-25, namely Captain Greentree (36 goals, 54 assists, 90 points), Ryan Abraham (31-35-66), Cole Davis (20-21-41), Spellacy (21-17-38), Noah Morneau (13-21-34) and Jack Nesbitt (9-9-18.) Nesbitt, with a 2007 birth date, is the youngest of the lot and has the makings of becoming a top level power forward.
Defensemen. Five of the seven defenders who finished the ’23-24 season in Windsor are being rightfully counted on to step up their game in ’24-25. They are the offensively skilled duo of Anthony Cristoforo (seven goals, 31 assists, 38 points in ’23-24) and Carson Woodall (six goals, 23 assists, 29 points), plus minus leaders Tanner Winegard and Conor Walton and import Josef Eichler. And the Spitfires recently added overage defender Tnias Mathurin in a trade with the North Bay Battalion.
Goalies. Joey Costanzo and Carter Froggett are the presumptive front runners to begin the season in the Windsor net and get the opportunity to carry on through. The 6 foot 1, 180 pound Costanzo, who has a 2005 birth date, has already appeared in 98 OHL games — 81 of them with Windsor. He had a good first season in Windsor in ’22-23 when he posted a record of 26-6-0 with a 3.03 goals against average and .901 save percentage. But as Windsor toppled from top spot in the Western Conference in ’22-23 all the way to the bottom in ’23-24, Costanzo also went in reverse with a record of 10-23-3, 5.09 goals against average and .855 save percentage. (The Spitfires had acquired the former second round pick of the Niagara Ice Dogs at the 2021 OHL priority selections draft just ahead of the ’22-23 season.) Then there is Froggett, who has a 2006 birth date. A sixth round pick by Windsor at the 2022 OHL priority selections draft, Froggett has since played for the London Jr. Knights of the Under 18 level Hockey Alliance and the London Nationals of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. He also got into two OHL games with the Spitfires in ’23-24. Froggett put up good numbers in the GOJHL for London during the ’23-24 season. Regular season and playoffs included for the Nationals, the big goalie fashioned a record of 19-6-0 with a 2.64 goals against average and .913 save percentage.
New bench boss. 53-year old Greg Walters is taking his seasoning and aptitude as an OHL head coach to the Spitfires. Walters takes the helm in Windsor after a ’23-24 season in which the Spitfires missed the playoffs with Casey Torres as the interim coach following the firing of Jerrod Smith. Walters has four years of OHL head coaching experience, two with each of the Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack. Walters had a two season record of 75-40-15 in Oshawa and was 71-56-16 behind the Owen Sound bench. He has never had a losing season as an OHL head coach. Known for his demanding ways but as a coach who relates well to his players, look for Walters to have a major impact on the ascension of the Spitfires in ’23-24.
Six picks signed. No less than six 2008 birth year players from what is shaping up to be a haul of 2024 priority selections draft have already signed with the Spitfires ahead of the coming season. They are first rounder — and first overall pick — Ethan Belchetz, second rounders J.C. Lemieux and Carter Hicks, third rounder Max Brocklehurst, seventh rounder Jake Windbiel and ninth rounder Ethan Garden. Belchetz, Lemieux, Brocklehurst and Garden are all forwards, Hicks is a defenseman and Windbiel is a goalie. The Spitfires could opt to place a couple of this year’s draft picks with their Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League affiliate team, the LaSalle Vipers, for the ’24-25 season.