As the Windsor Spitfires say goodbye to the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season, the summer months are peaking over the horizon. It has the potential to be a busy offseason for the organization, one that could set them up for a monster 2025-26 campaign.
When the Spitfires finished last in the Western Conference in 2023-24, expectations for this season were modest. If they could get home ice in the first round, that would have been an incredible bonus. Instead, they shot to the top of the conference standings and battled multiple teams all season to stay within reach of the top. They won the West Division and won their first playoff round before a heartbreaking Game 7 elimination to the Kitchener Rangers in Round 2. However, there’s still plenty of optimism as they weren’t supposed to contend until next season. What does this mean for this summer? Here are five questions that will need answering as the heat rises.
Will Greg Walters Return Behind the Bench?
This season was a breath of fresh air behind the Spitfires’ bench.
The club started a head-coaching carousel in 2022-23 that began with Marc Savard (now with the Toronto Maple Leafs), went to Jerrod Smith and Casey Torres (interim first, now a Spitfires’ assistant) in 2023-24, and now may have finished with long-time OHL head coach Greg Walters.
2023-24 was a disaster for the club but it was a team effort. Smith and Torres did what they could. After the season ended, general manager Bill Bowler searched for a permanent head coach and landed on Walters, who had been fired by the Owen Sound Attack in October 2023 for an off-ice incident. He was then suspended by the OHL until June 30, 2024. On July 2, the Spitfires hired him and he showed remorse, accountability, a passion for the game, and a determination to press forward. It was almost instantly mission accomplished.
Walters, along with Torres and assistant coach Kris Newbury, built a bond with the roster and created systems that everyone bought in to. Throughout the season, Walters emphasized how players were eager to learn and work and went into the trenches for each other. This was a close-knit group who were determined to show their future was bright.
The result was a club going from 10th in the conference with 44 points to second with 96 points, a 52-point improvement which was the best single-season jump in Spitfires’ history. While the players were a massive part of that, there’s no denial that Walters and his staff played a role.
Now the big question – is Walters going to return for 2025-26?
The club doesn’t release terms of contracts. However, Walters was close with the players, he was always happy to talk, and he was fantastic and patient with the media. If he was Bowler’s guy from the end of 2023-24, short of a call from the pros, it’s hard to believe this was a one-and-done situation. It feels like an almost ideal match and it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on over the summer.
Will Ilya Protas Return to the OHL?
Every summer, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) holds an Import Draft, usually in the first week of July. As of Thursday, May 1, teams are allowed two players whose parents reside outside of Canada or the United States. An area of weakness for the club over the last decade has been finding high-impact players in the Import Draft. While they’ve had impressive players such as Finnish defenceman Ruben Rafkin (2019-20) and Russian defenceman Daniil Sobolev (2021-23), elite talents have been few-and-far between. Their last one was Russian defenceman Mikhail Sergachev from 2015-17.
Last July, Bowler had the third-overall pick and chose forward Ilya Protas (Washington Capitals), who was playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The giant 6-foot-5, 200-pound Belarusian was talented but there was still some caution. Fortunately, it all paid off.
While he missed the first three games of the season, he adjusted quickly after. Protas had a point in each of his first eight games (15 points) and had points in 53-of-61 games. He wound up with 50 goal and 124 points in 61 games, finishing second in the OHL to the Saginaw Spirit’s Michael Misa (134 points in 65 games). A class act off the ice, he was also put on a line with captain Liam Greentree and used in all of the big moments this season.
The question is – does Protas return to the Spitfires next season?
Given Protas’ age (18) and experience (one season in the OHL), he would normally have two options – the NHL or the Spitfires. However, because of the NHL/CHL transfer rules, since Protas was drafted by the Capitals before coming to the Spitfires, he is eligible to go the Capitals’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hershey Bears, next season.
He’s already been assigned to the Bears for their current playoff run. A return to the Spitfires next season would be a massive addition to the club and would likely signal a serious contention run. However, only the Capitals and Bears know what will happen next. For the Spitfires and their fans, it’s a frustrating waiting game.
What Does Bowler Do at Import Draft?
The 2025 CHL Import Draft will be held in July and there are plenty of questions surrounding it, especially from the Spitfires’ standpoint.
Last season, Bowler took Protas third overall. He also selected Czechia defenceman Josef Eichler 51st overall in 2023. While we discussed Protas above, the 6-foot, 194-pound Eichler hits everything he can, often gets engaged in altercations, and chips in with the occasional points. He had 128 penalty minutes (PIMs) in 64 games in 2023-24, partially because of his rambunctious nature, but toned that down to 74 PIMs in 63 games this season. He would normally be a great candidate to return next season.
However, this is where the Spitfires’ dilemma comes in. Protas has a chance of returning to the OHL. Eichler is also 20-years-old which makes him eligible to be an overage player next season. Teams can only dress three overagers per game and, last season, only three OHL teams had an overager who was also an Import.
This means the question is – what does Bowler do at the Import draft?
While they chose sixth overall last summer, this summer’s pick will likely be closer to the 45-50th overall range, depending on how other teams conduct themselves. Some teams pass on picks if they already have their players. There is talk that the CHL could increase the limit from two players to three, as well, which would affect how Bowler (and everyone else) plays their cards. Don’t be shocked if Bowler takes a big swing for a player and figures out the logistics down the road.
How Many 2025 Draft Picks Sign?
Drafts are a major part of the OHL rebuilding process. After the 2022 OHL Draft, Bowler signed several players including the captain Greentree, forwards Cole Davis and A.J. Spellacy, plus defencemen Carson Woodall and Anthony Cristoforo. It became one of their most successful drafts to date. The 2023 draft wasn’t as successful, in part because of the lack of draft picks, but they still have first-rounder forward Jack Nesbitt flourishing.
In 2024, Bowler went all out, signing and playing eight rookies including first overall pick forward Ethan Belchetz along with defencemen Carter Hicks and Andrew Robinson, plus forward Ethan Garden. They also signed first-overall pick goaltender Michael Newlove from the 2024 OHL Under-18 Draft, which happened a few day after the main draft.
Related: Windsor Spitfires Name Ethan Belchetz Top Pick in 2024 OHL Draft
All season, the coaches and players have raved about that draft class. It’s become a significant bright spot in the organization and, when injuries popped up in the playoffs, players like Hicks, Robinson, and Garden played vital roles when needed.
However, the 2025 OHL Draft and Under-18 Draft took place in April with a new crop of kids coming in. Bowler selected 17 players in total including three former team captains. He stated that he likes bringing in quality humans as well as quality players.
The question is – how many of the 2025 draft prospects will sign?
OHL rules state that clubs can dress their first two selections, along with two wildcards (players from any round). This means first-round pick forward John McLaughlin and second-round pick forward Ian Inskip are likely to sign at some point. Beyond that is a toss up. Third-round pick forward Ty Bergeron was tendered with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) the day before the draft. Other players have toured the WFCU Centre but nothing has been signed.
Windsor #Spitfires' first-round pick forward John McLaughlin at the WFCU Centre this afternoon for an introduction. #OHL pic.twitter.com/zPYGEgepe1
— Dave Jewell (@DaveJewellOHL) April 12, 2025
Bowler loves his depth and, with numerous injuries this season, we saw how vital those younger talents can be if stuff hits the fan. This weekend, the club holds its annual Draft Orientation Camp and it’s a good chance to showcase the organization and the arena. Don’t be surprised if the club signs multiple players over the summer and gets them properly developing just in case chaos happens again in 2025-26.
What Happens to Spitfires’ Crowded Crease?
The final area that needs to be watched before September is the Spitfires’ crease. This is a question that may linger well into camp, too.
Coming into 2024-25, the club had veteran Joey Costanzo, 19, as their starter. Despite a 5.09 goals-against average (GAA) and .855 save percentage (SV%) in 39 appearances in 2023-24, he rebounded with a 2.94 GAA and .892 SV% in 51 appearances this season. He had a fantastic first half and was near the top of the league in multiple categories. Unfortunately, he hiccupped in the second half, and the numbers slipped. He returned to his high-performing self in the playoffs, though, which may have set up the issue.
While he’s at his best right now, the club has several talents waiting to take his spot. Carter Froggett, now 19, spent two seasons in Junior B before making the Spitfires this season. He’s shown that he’s ready for the next step in his development. They also have Newlove, 18, who played in Junior A and played well in a brief OHL stint. Finally, there’s Bowler’s 2024 OHL Draft seventh-rounder Jake Windbiel out of Elk Grove Village, IL. Now 17, he spent a season with the LaSalle Vipers Junior B and, with a pro ceiling, is looking to stick in the OHL. Realistically, all three could justify a spot.
We have to ask – what happens with the crowded crease?
If Costanzo returns for an overage season, something must give with the other three because four goaltenders in this stage is hard to manage properly. It’s nice to have the depth but it might not be sustainable for an entire season if they all want to further their development. If Bowler moves Costanzo, all bets are off and it’s a guess as to who could come in or be moved around.
After a surprising and entertaining season, the Spitfires have a big summer ahead of them. There are lots of questions to be asked and answers will only come in time. Buckle up and let’s have some fun this offseason.
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