Spitfires Make History, Take Trio at 2025 CHL Import Draft

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The Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Import Draft has entered a new era, and the Windsor Spitfires took advantage of it on Wednesday.

Since the start of the CHL Import Draft in 1992, all 60 teams were allowed to have two players on their roster whose parents don’t have full-time residency in Canada or the United States. The Spitfires have seen some fantastic talents come through, including Russian defenceman Mikhail Sergachev (2015-17), Russian forward Alexander Khokhlachev (2010-13), and most recently, Belarusian forward Ilya Protas (2024-present) (Washington Capitals). However, the rules changed in May and starting with the 2025 Draft on Wednesday, teams could pick up a third Import player. For Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler, it was a chance to bring in some fresh talent as there’s some uncertainty heading into 2025-26. Let’s dive into the picks.

Spitfires Select Slovak Michal Svrcek

Going into 2025-26, the Spitfires are deep with defensive prospects, so it was a safe bet that Bowler was targeting a forward. That’s what happened as, with the 53rd overall pick, he went to Brynas IF in Sweden to take Slovak forward Michal Svrcek.

Windsor Spitfires' GM Bill Bowler
Windsor Spitfires’ GM Bill Bowler. (David Jewell / The Hockey Writers)

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound winger was the Detroit Red Wings’ fourth-round pick in June’s NHL Draft. The 18-year-old (2007-born) played 30 games for the J20 team with 14 goals and 30 points. He also saw 17 regular season and 10 playoff games with Brynas in the Swedish Hockey League (top league) where he had five points, total.

What kind of player is he? Brock Otten, the Director of Scouting for McKeen’s Hockey, posted on X that Svrcek is a “pesky goal-scoring winger” who may be “a potential 30 goal guy in the OHL next (season).” Their report adds that the youngster is a hard-working forward who is quick and relentless on the forecheck. He’s also physical, despite his size. They used the term “has that dawg in him”, which bodes well for Spitfires’ fans who like that style. However, he has things to work on, including using his teammates better, instead of just skating into pressure, as well as taking the time to read plays before going into the corner.

Elite Prospects has him listed as playing for Brynas in 2025-26, but given he’s a Red Wings’ prospect, being just a half hour away at the WFCU Centre in Windsor might be a solid option. The club could use him, too. Thanks to graduation, they’ve lost Ryan Abraham and Noah Morneau up front, who combined for 61 goals last season. They could also lose forwards Luke McNamara and Owen Outwater to possible graduation, both of whom were important depth guys for much of last season.

Related: Michael Svrcek – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Svrcek being a 2007-born is key. The club went all-in during the 2022-23 season and sent out a lot of draft picks as a result. That meant the 2023 draft class (2007-born players) was slim at best, with only really forward Jack Nesbitt (Philadelphia Flyers) to show for it. Bowler added forward Shawn Costello last season and free agent defenceman Jonathan Brown this summer. Svrcek would be a valuable third addition, one who could quickly become a fan favourite.

Bowler Takes Kazakhstan’s Makysh

With his second pick, 114th overall, Bowler went to Kazakhstan to take 17-year-old winger Beksultan Makysh. The 5-foot-10, 169-pound Astana, Kazakhstan native has been in the United States since 2023-24, playing for the Boston Hockey Academy.

Last season, he played for their U16 AAA team across three leagues and had a combined 84 goals and 154 points in 72 games. He also added nine goals and 12 points in five playoff games while they were in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation. In 2024, he was an eighth-round pick of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL), and he had two points in four games with them last season, too.

If Makysh came to the Spitfires, he would join an already stacked 2008-born group that includes 2024 first overall OHL Draft pick Ethan Belchetz, defenceman Carter Hicks, and nearly a half dozen others that played last season. It’s a group that Bowler and the club’s management are very happy with.

The good news is Makysh isn’t listed as playing for anyone next season. However, if he’s committed to the USHL, it could be a challenge to get him to the OHL. Bowler got Protas from the Des Moines Buccaneers last season, but there’s no guarantee that happens again.

History Made with Burkhalter

This is where history was made by the Spitfires. With the new rule in place, Bowler went for it.

For the first time in team history, the Spitfires made a third pick, selecting 16-year-old forward Loan Burkhalter out of HC La-Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland. He’s an October 2008 birthday! The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder had 14 goals and 27 points in 31 games last season, including 14 goals and 26 points in 22 games for their U20 team in the U20-Top league. He also saw eight games (no points) with the club in the Sky Swiss League (second tier of professional hockey). His father, Loic, is a team manager with that club.

This is where it gets interesting, though. The Spitfires have Protas as well as Czechia defenceman Josef Eichler (2023 CHL Import Draft) as their current Imports. Protas is eligible to go to the Hershey Bears (American Hockey League) next season while Eichler would be an overage (20-year-old) player, and teams can only have three of those on their roster. Last season, only a few OHL teams had a player take up both an Import and overage slot at the same time. With nine defencemen signed for Bowler, including potential overager Wyatt Kennedy, this could become a numbers game for the Czechia veteran.

The Import Draft is often a guessing game as to whether or not players will report. Sometimes, they’re happier in their current situation. However, it’s clear that Bowler wanted to continue to build the youth, including the 2007 age group. He took three bigger swings, and now they wait to see who will sign before training camp gets underway in late August.

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