As the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) January 10 trade deadline continues to move further and further into the rearview mirror, it’s hard to believe it’s been two seasons since the Windsor Spitfires made one of the organization’s biggest splashes. To this day, talk about the Shane Wright trade echoes throughout the WFCU Centre.
In 2021-22, Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler showed his true ability at the trade deadline, bringing in multiple veterans to help with their run to the 2022 OHL Championship series. A season later, they still had the horses to make another run, so, again, he went out and did everything he could to create a winner. One of those moves was grabbing the biggest name he could get and giving fans something to talk about for seasons to come.
Spitfires Get Stud Wright
In 2023, just before the deadline hit, Bowler pulled off the monster move with the Kingston Frontenacs. Here’s what it looked like…
To Spitfires:
- Wright
- Frontenacs’ 14th-round pick in 2025
To Frontenacs:
- forward Ethan Miedema
- rights to defenceman Gavin McCarthy
- second-round pick in 2023 (Ottawa 67’s)
- third-round pick in 2023 (Soo Greyhounds)
- fourth-round pick in 2024 (Niagara IceDogs)
- sixth-round pick in 2024 (IceDogs)
- fourth-round pick in 2025 (IceDogs)
- conditional fifth-round pick in 2024 (Hamilton Bulldogs)
- conditional sixth-round pick in 2025 (Erie Otters)
The conditions on the two picks were not disclosed and we’ll get into them below.
Spitfires Make Big Move
Having already acquired Boston Bruins’ prospect forward Brett Harrison shortly before this move, this was riches on top of riches. The Seattle Kraken prospect wanted to win an OHL championship, bringing a justified buzz to the city. Given “Exceptional Status” prior to the 2019 OHL Draft, where the player can enter the OHL a season early, he dominated with the Frontenacs with 160 points in 121 games and was named captain in 2021-22. He spent the 2022-23 season, to that point, with the Kraken and Coachella Valley Firebirds (American Hockey League), plus he was named captain for Team Canada at the 2023 World Juniors. This was a big deal for Bowler.
Wright came as advertised. On the plus, he finished with 37 points in 20 games and there was only one game played where he didn’t have a point. On the negative, he suffered an injury shortly after joining the team and it kept him out for chunks of the second half. Fortunately, he was healthy for the playoffs, with three points in four games. However, the team struggled against the tough eighth-seeded Kitchener Rangers and were swept. That summer, he graduated and moved on to the Kraken system where he has been ever since.
The conditional 14th-round pick went back to the Frontenacs in April 2023 in return for a 14th-round pick in 2023. Bowler used that to get forward Julian Gignac, who currently has 31 points in 36 games for the LaSalle Vipers Jr. B.
Frontenacs Load Up for Future
If you’re going to get a piece like Wright, you’re giving up a fair amount. That’s what happened with Bowler.
Miedema Makes Mark
The big piece going to the Frontenacs was the 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward Miedema. The fourth overall pick at the 2021 OHL Draft had all kinds of potential but was taking a bit of time to realize it. He had 67 points in 101 games for the Spitfires and, while he had creativity, the game-to-game consistency wasn’t quite there yet.
Fortunately, he’s found his game this season by putting up 43 points in 42 games so far. The Buffalo Sabres’ prospect has incredible potential and a skill set that gets you out of your seat. He just needs to build that game-to-game consistency and drive. The sky is the limit if he wants it to be.
The McCarthy Wildcard
One thing former Spitfires’ GM Warren Rychel was known for was taking a chance and getting creative in trades. Over his decade-plus time with the organization, he made several moves that left people stunned, both in buying and rebuilding. Bowler was his protege for multiple seasons and learned a lot.
Related: Warren Rychel Steps Down as Windsor Spitfires’ General Manager
Among the things Bowler learned was creativity. He traded McCarthy’s rights to the Frontenacs, likely instead of giving up more high-end picks. The Spitfires’ eighth-round pick in 2021 was playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League at the time but maybe the Frontenacs could convince him to join the OHL? It didn’t happen. He was committed to Boston University and has been there for two seasons now.
Picks Pan Out
Fortunately for the Frontenacs, the picks generally seemed to pan out. The 67’s second-round pick turned into forward Ethan Weir, who played 21 games for them before being traded to the Saginaw Spirit earlier this January in a package for veteran forward Joey Willis.
The Greyhounds’ third-round pick in 2023 became defenceman Xander Velliaris. He got into 32 games with the Frontenacs before also being traded to the Spirit in a package deal for forward Ethan Hay and defenceman Will Bishop.
The IceDogs’ fourth-round pick was traded back to the Spitfires for veteran defenceman Jacob Holmes. He wound up with 18 points in 54 games before a short playoff run and then graduation. The Spitfires eventually traded the pick to the Flint Firebirds and moved up a round, taking forward Max Brocklehurst last April. He’s likely a big part of their future. The IceDogs’ fourth-round pick in 2025 was shipped to the 67’s this past summer in a deal for forward Tuomas Uronen. The Finnish forward has 55 points in 37 games this season. Finally, the IceDog’s sixth-round pick became forward Adam Kelly, who has gotten into 30 games this season with a pair of goals.
Another look at Adam Kelly's first career OHL Goal in Saturday's Play of the Game!#SolidGold | @bgmmetalworks pic.twitter.com/HG2r9iuYSv
— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) December 14, 2024
What about the two conditional picks? While none of the conditions were disclosed, the Spitfires kept the Bulldogs’ fifth-round pick in 2024 and selected defenceman Sam Wathier. He went the US-route and is committed to Boston College for 2026-27. The Otters’ sixth-round pick in 2025 is now with the Frontenacs, per the OHL Draft Pick Database.
Move a Matter of Hindsight for Bowler
While there was initial skepticism, this is a good chance to step back and evaluate. Wright was generally professional and polite off the ice, treating most with friendship-like respect. However, there is always more than that in a deal.
Did the Spitfires truly need his production? No, they already had a deep roster that included Harrison, Matthew Maggio’s 50-goal, 111-point season, and 49-goal scorer Alex Christopoulos. They could score with the best of them.
Do they win the division without him? It’s debatable. The London Knights and Sarnia Sting both went all-in and finished two and three points back, respectively. Without Wright, it’s possible that the Spitfires finish in third and face the sixth-seeded Guelph Storm. However, maybe that would have been better?
There were frustrations that Bowler gave up too much. McCarthy didn’t report to the OHL so that was disappointing for the Frontenacs. Miedema went from 0.86 points-per-game with the Spitfires (36 games) to 0.66 (32 games) and 0.60 (68 games). This season has been better but expectations are still higher.
The picks were a mixed bag. While the Spitfires lost important picks in the 2023 Draft, Bowler can eventually gain more players from that draft age (2007-born) to help in the future. They also worked other picks to benefit the organization in some way down the road, such as Brocklehurst. At the time, it was a tough situation but the Spitfires have found a way to build back to near normal.
It was a tough move and easy to criticize. However, if Wright was healthy (not his fault) and the team beat the Rangers (again, not fully on him), you wouldn’t hear as many complaints. It happens and Bowler will likely pull off more in the future.
