While the Windsor Spitfires missed out on the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Playoffs, it was just two seasons ago that they made an unexpected trip to the Western Conference Final. With this season’s conference finals underway, it makes you wonder – what happened to those Spitfires from 2021-22?
Coming into the 2021-22 season, the Spitfires had a big task ahead of them. They hadn’t made the second round of the playoffs in over a decade (despite winning the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup) but, thanks to general manager Bill Bowler, they had the roster to make some noise that season. After going all-in at the January 2022 trade deadline, the club, led by then-head coach Marc Savard, went on a second-half tear en route to the first seed in the Western Conference. From there, they pushed aside the Sarnia Sting, the Kitchener Rangers, and the Flint Firebirds to become OHL Western Conference Champions. While they eventually lost the OHL Championship to the Hamilton Bulldogs on the road in Game 7, it’s a season nobody will forget. We just wonder – what happened to some of those players after the season ended? Let’s find out!
Defenceman Michael Renwick
While the Spitfires had stars like forwards Will Cuylle (New York Rangers), Wyatt Johnston (Dallas Stars), and Matthew Maggio (New York Islanders), defenceman Michael Renwick quietly slid under the radar as a dynamic defensive presence. The 6-foot, 185-pound Mississauga native was acquired by Bowler in June 2020 for a trio of picks. The idea was to give him more playing time and he ran with it.
Renwick became everything the club could have asked for. He was defensively responsible, stood up for teammates, added 29 points in 67 games, and was a leader in the room. His grandfather is former Spitfires’ great Dave Prpich, showing that great character runs in the family.
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In the playoffs, Renwick added 14 points in 25 games including the overtime winner in Game 1 of the OHL Championship against the Bulldogs. It was the Bulldogs’ first loss of the playoffs.
What happened to this fan favourite after that season? He stuck around for one more season, scoring 35 points in 65 games. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated in the first round, ending his junior career. After that, he headed to the ECHL and played three games with the Orlando Solar Bears. In 2023-24, he went for his post-secondary education by signing with Queen’s University (Ontario University Athletics – OUA) where he had six points in 14 games.
Defenceman Louka Henault
Another veteran that was dynamic without the spotlight was defenceman Louka Henault. At 6-foot, 180 pounds, he could control the game at either end of the rink.
Drafted by the Spitfires in the fifth round in 2017, Henault became an integral part of the defence, saving his best work for his graduating season of 2021-22. After coming back from the Anaheim Ducks’ camp in August 2021, he posted 65 points in 63 regular season games and another 16 points in 25 playoff games. That wrapped up his career and he was one of the biggest losses the club faced that summer. The question is – what happened to him after he graduated?
Henault immediately headed to the ECHL where he’s been ever since. In 2022-23, he joined the Jacksonville Icemen where he had 13 points in 41 games. This past season, he split time between the Solar Bears and the Iowa Heartlanders where he combined for 17 points in 59 games.
Defenceman Andrew Perrott
One of Bowler’s big acquisitions at the January 2022 trade deadline was getting 5-foot-10, 216-pound grinding defenceman Andrew Perrott from the Owen Sound Attack. The five-season veteran came with a reputation for being solid offensively, reliable in his own zone, and tough as nails when needed. He lived up to all of that.
Perrott put home 26 points in 39 regular season games for the club following the move and showed leadership on and off the ice. He was exactly what the team needed. In the playoffs, he had 14 points in 25 games including the overtime winner in Game 6 against the Firebirds. That sent it to Game 7, which the Spitfires won at home.
Unfortunately, he was a pure rental from Bowler and, once they lost to the Bulldogs, his OHL career was over. So, what happened to this impressive defenceman? He joined the Chicago Blackhawks’ system and has split time between the Indy Fuel (ECHL) and the Rockford IceHogs (American Hockey League – AHL).
Forward Daniel D’Amico
One of the Spitfires’ best depth pieces up front was 5-foot-10, 190-pound forward Daniel D’Amico. The Etobicoke native was a vital combination of speed, grit, and offence. He got under your skin in numerous ways and became one of the best clutch players on the club.
D’Amico was the club’s sixth-round pick in 2017 and, after being a consistent 20-goal, 50-point player from 2018-20, he saved his best for his final season. In 67 games, he had a career-high 32 goals and 58 points, adding an impressive 21 points in 25 playoff games. His hat-trick in Game 7 against the Firebirds was the deciding performance and won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
After the season ended, D’Amico graduated and moved on to the next chapter of his life. What happened to him? In September 2022, he signed with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings. He appeared in eight games, recording four points, before transferring to the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold (OUA). There, he saw action in nine regular season games (five points) and three playoff games (two points). Unfortunately, he doesn’t appear on their roster for 2023-24 and his current whereabouts are unknown.
This Spitfires’ roster was expected to make some playoff noise but nobody predicted their run to the OHL Championship. While a handful of players got consistent recognition, these four players were an important part of the season and the run. It’s great to see them succeed after leaving the OHL.