16 Years Ago: A Look Back at Windsor Spitfires’ 2010 Memorial Cup Run

With the 2026 Memorial Cup underway in Kelowna, BC, it’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since the Windsor Spitfires captured their second-straight Memorial Cup championship.

After going 57-10-0-1 in 2008-09 and earning their first Memorial Cup in Rimouski, PQ, the Spitfires were primed for another run in 2009-10. The club knew what they had, knew that then-general manager Warren Rychel was willing to do anything it took, and could smell a second Canadian title within their grasp. It wasn’t going to be easy, as teams wanted to knock them down a few pegs, but the result was just as glorious. Let’s take a look back at that second championship run.

Rychel Goes All In… Again

Coming into the 2009-10 campaign, the Spitfires had an embarrassment of riches, including forwards Taylor Hall, Greg Nemisz, Eric Wellwood, and Adam Henrique, along with defencemen Ryan Ellis and Harry Young. They started winning games and didn’t stop, losing just five times in regulation prior to the Jan. 10 trade deadline. That’s when you knew Rychel was going to do something interesting.

When Rychel bought the team in 2006, along with Bob Boughner and Peter Dobrich, they drafted two young cores (2006 and 2007) that were the foundation for the next few seasons. That group generally stuck together, and this was their final hurrah. It was time to go big… so he did.

On Jan. 4, 2010, the Spitfires brought in a triple threat in one move with the (now defunct) Belleville Bulls: forward Stephen Johnston, defenceman Marc Cantin, and goaltender Philipp Grubauer. In 2008-09, Rychel made a similar move with the Kitchener Rangers, acquiring defenceman Ben Shutron, forward Scott Timmins, and goaltender Josh Unice. It worked like a charm, so why not try it again? Johnston gave them forward depth, Cantin was a fantastic stay-at-home defenceman, and Grubauer was the veteran who could give Troy Passingham a reliable backup.

Again, it worked as anticipated, and the club finished the season with a 50-12-1-5 record. The issue was that, unlike 2008-09, when they had eight more wins than the second-highest team (London Knights), other teams were very close to them in 2009-10. The Knights had 49 wins, the Rangers had an impressive 42, while the Barrie Colts were tops in the league with 57. This wasn’t going to be an easy repeat.

Spitfires’ Run to an OHL Championship

The first round of the playoffs saw the Spitfires face off against the eighth-seeded Erie Otters, who tried but bowed out in four. Then, it was Plymouth Whalers (now Flint Firebirds) in the second round. Again, the games were close, but it finished as a four-game sweep for the Spitfires.

That set up a showdown between the Spitfires and Rangers, who just took out the Knights in seven games. Those clubs went back-and-forth all series before the Rangers won Game 7 at the John Labatt Centre in London.

The Spitfires and Rangers had a deep playoff history. On March 20, 1999, the clubs battled it out in a one-game showdown for the eighth seed. The Spitfires took a 2-1 win in double overtime when Blair Stayzer beat Reg Bourcier at the old Windsor Arena, sending them to the playoffs.

This series had the makings of a classic, and it didn’t disappoint. The offences were in charge in the first three games as the Rangers took them all by a combined 17-11 score. Just when it looked like the repeat wasn’t happening, cue the comeback.

The Spitfires earned a 7-5 win in Game 4 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, followed by a 3-0 win at home in Game 5, and then a 6-4 win on the road in Game 6. Could this actually happen? Absolutely. In Game 7, the Spitfires put 46 shots on goal and scored twice in the third period for a 4-1 win, sending them back to the OHL Championship. It was the second time (2005 against the Soo Greyhounds) that the club came back from being down 3-0 to win the series.

However, they were now up against a very good Colts club that was ready to end this run. It didn’t happen, though. The Spitfires won Game 1 on the road in overtime, then escaped Game 2 with a 5-4 win that saw the Colts put 20 third-period shots on Grubauer. That was all the momentum the Spitfires needed.

They came home and got a first-star performance from Grubauer in Game 3 in a 5-2 win. That set up Game 4, where they scored four unanswered second-half goals to earn a 6-2 win, sending the arena into a frenzy as they captured their second-straight J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions. After the celebration, it was off to Brandon, MB, for the Memorial Cup.

Memorial Cup Sweep

In 2009, the Spitfires made Memorial Cup history when they became the first team ever to win the championship after losing their opening two games. Heading into 2010, the hope was for a better start and a similarly strong finish.

The tournament saw them face the host Brandon Wheat Kings, plus the Western Hockey League champion Calgary Hitmen and the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League champion Moncton Wildcats. All four teams had at least 48 wins on the season, so nothing was supposed to come easy.

The Spitfires didn’t get that memo, though. In the opener, they jumped out to a crazy 8-0 lead on the Wheat Kings and took it 9-3. In their second game, they grabbed an early 3-0 lead on the Hitmen before a 6-2 final. Their third game was different as the Wildcats were up 3-2 early in the third period. However, a late goal from Johnston forced overtime. In the extra time, Wellwood finished off the Wildcats (who went 0-3), sending them home and sending the Spitfires to the championship game.

In the semi-final, the Hitmen jumped out to a 3-1 lead on the hometown Wheat Kings. However, the Wheat Kings scored three of the next four, and then the dagger early in overtime, for a 5-4 win. That set up the championship game against the Spitfires.

After the opening match between the two clubs, Wheat Kings’ fans gave a distinct “let’s just have fun” approach to the championship. It was hard to blame them.

The Spitfires found themselves up 3-0 by the second period. While the Wheat Kings made it 3-1 to give their fans something to cheer for, that was essentially the end. The Spitfires fired 27 second-period shots for a 6-1 lead after two periods, then added three more for a dominating 9-1 win and their second-straight Memorial Cup.

While it wasn’t the dramatic game that neutral fans appreciate, it showed the power of the Spitfires during that era. The Wheat Kings were a formidable opponent, and to be on the short end of a lopsided final, especially at home, spoke volumes about Rychel’s club.

End of an Era

While it would have been entertaining to say that the Spitfires went on to win another championship for the ever-popular three-peat, that simply wasn’t the case. They did give it a solid try, though.

Following the championship celebrations, they lost numerous players to graduation, including Henrique, Hall, Nemisz, Young, and Grubauer. Some players did return in 2010-11, though, including Ellis. He wound up with 101 points in 58 games as he captained them to the Western Conference Championship. Unfortunately, they lost in five games to the Owen Sound Attack, who won the OHL that season (losing in the Memorial Cup tiebreaker to the Kootenay Ice).

After that, it took the club a long time to get out of the first round. They didn’t make it again until 2021-22, when they went to the OHL Championship, where they lost to the Hamilton (now Brantford) Bulldogs in Game 7. It just shows how tough it is to not only build a dynamic contender but to win an OHL title.

Regardless, the 2010 Memorial Cup run was something the organization, the City of Windsor, and the fans will never forget. It still comes up in discussions and will be appreciated forever.