The Windsor Spitfires are realizing it might not be too late to salvage their 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season. After a chaotic week at home off the ice, they hit the road for three games and started to build momentum as they head into December.
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Nothing about this season has gone the way the Spitfires were anticipating. On paper, they had the team to compete for home ice in the Western Conference. However, their on-ice play was nothing short of a disaster. The result was the club sitting in last place in the league with just four wins in 21 games, searching for any answers. A major staffing change just before they hit the road may have turned the tides, though. Now, they’re looking to build momentum as they continue on the road, before an upcoming homestand. Here are three takeaways from their Eastern swing.
3 Takeaways From Eastern Road Trip
Weekend Results:
Thurs., Nov. 23 – 5-2 win @ Peterborough Petes
Fri., Nov. 24 – 6-4 loss @ Kingston Frontenacs
Sun., Nov. 26 – 5-3 win @ Ottawa 67’s
Current record: 6-17-1-0
3. Torres and Bowler Find Bench Chemistry
When then-head coach Marc Savard left to join the Calgary Flames in June, it started a new era for the Spitfires. General manager Bill Bowler promoted long-time assistant/associate coach Jerrod Smith in July to become the new bench boss. While it was supposed to be his big break, nothing went according to plan.
Four months later, the Spitfires had just four wins in 21 games and were struggling to find any consistency on the ice. After trying trades and various roster combinations, Bowler made the tough decision last Monday to fire Smith. New assistant coach Casey Torres was named “interim head coach” immediately after. That started a domino effect as, within 24 hours, assistant coach Andy Delmore and goaltending coach Michael Leighton resigned for undisclosed reasons.
Torres has a strong resume working with clubs in the OHL, American Hockey League (AHL), and the NHL in various capacities. While he’s never been a head coach, this was his chance to develop young talents and turn the club around. Bowler has begun searching for new staff but jumped on the bench for this road trip. The result was new ideas, new strategies, and creative thinking, and the players have responded with four points in three games.
Related: OHL: Spitfires Search for New Head Coach After Flames Hire Savard
It’s a solid start, and should it continue, maybe it’s an indication that Bowler and Torres working together on the bench is a key to turning the season around. The club can find another assistant to work with them, but if Bowler can do two jobs and the team is successful, why change it?
2. Veterans Must Take Reigns
When you have a major coaching change, the locker room will be hectic, which tends to affect the on-ice performance. If the Spitfires are to get back on track for good, they will need their veterans to take charge and lead the club.
A handful of veterans really stepped up this weekend. Forwards Liam Greentree, Oliver Peer, Jacob Maillet, and Valentin Zhugin combined for 12 goals (out of 14 total scored) and eight assists in three games. Peer-led the group with five goals on his own. The production gave the club the boost it needed. However, they’re still missing contributions from other key players.
Forwards Ryan Abraham and Colton Smith played in all three games but were pointless. Abraham has been held off the scoresheet in his last eight games and has just 10 points in 21 games this season after 35 in 29 games last season (ended early due to an injury). Smith has a single assist in his last 10 games and just six points in 24 games after 47 points in 61 games last season.
Fortunately, rookie forward Cole Davis has stepped up. In three games, Davis had four points to give him 18 points in 24 games on the season. He’s showing that no situation is too big and he can chip in wherever it’s needed. Aside from Friday’s loss, they also got big contributions from goaltender Joey Costanzo, who stopped 37-of-39 against the Petes, and Ian Michelone, who made 26-of-29 saves against the 67s.
If the Spitfires want to turn the season around and make the playoffs, they can’t rely on a handful of players to carry the load. They need all of the veterans to find that next gear and contribute to the success.
1. Keep Road Momentum Going
Coming into the weekend, the Spitfires were an abysmal 1-6-0-0 on the road, being outscored 48-16. This included two games against the Erie Otters and Kitchener Rangers where they were outscored 18-3.
All three games this past weekend had the potential to be grinding contests, too, as the home sides were a combined 33-21-4-1 on the season. It’s tough to walk into the Peterborough Memorial Center, the K-Rock Center (Frontenacs), and TD Place (67’s) and come out with four points, let alone a team that had just four wins on the season. However, the Spitfires were playing with a newly found purpose.
Torres and Bowler bounced ideas off of each other, gave the players a new perspective, and created some outside-the-box thinking. Now, you’ve got a pumped-up team that has practice this week before two more road games – Thursday night against the Barrie Colts and Friday night against the Guelph Storm. Those arenas are just as hard to get points in as the Storm and Colts are a combined 16-7-0-0 at home this season.
Take the momentum from the weekend, use it to their advantage in practice this week, and then get ready for a tough pair of games. Any momentum they can gain before a four-game home stand starting next week can only benefit them. The Spitfires are last in the conference but just five points out of ninth and 10 points out of a playoff spot. It looks like a tough hill to climb but there’s no better time to start the push.
