As Christmas comes around the corner, that means one thing – Santa is on his way! The milk and cookies are ready to go for the jolly man, along with our Christmas Wish list for the Windsor Spitfires. While it’s been a rollercoaster first half for the club, there are a few things that could help keep their season on the right path.
Following back-to-back Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Western Conference regular season titles, the Spitfires have struggled from nearly game one this season. While a slip in the standings was expected after heavy graduation, few predicted that they would be near the bottom of the league. There were significant positives in December, but the team still needs more help. Here’s our Spitfires list for Santa!
Spitfires’ List for Santa
5. Points for Abraham and Smith
One of the biggest head-scratchers on the Spitfires this season has been the play of forwards Ryan Abraham and Colton Smith. Both have the potential to dominate games, yet neither has found their stride consistently.
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The Spitfires’ first-round pick in 2020, Abraham, is just 5-foot-8 and weighs 168 pounds but is at his best when he plays a gritty, offensive Brad Marchand style. Last season, he had 35 points in 29 games before an injury. However, with just 15 points in 28 games this season, including 12 straight games without a point, something hasn’t felt right. He works his tail off and has been getting chances, but the back of the net has eluded him. When he does score, it looks like he’s relieved and can continue to play his game. That’s what they need.
Smith, 19, is in a similar boat. He came to the club from the London Knights prior to 2022-23 and put up 47 points in 62 games last season. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was expected to be a leader on the ice this season like Abraham, but he hasn’t been able to consistently find the scoresheet. With just eight points in 31 games and very little physical play, it feels like the power forward is falling behind. He’s the son of former Spitfires’ great D.J., which could mean higher expectations, but last season, he was producing and hitting with gusto. It’s been a complete 180 this season, and nobody can figure out why.
Our first ask from Santa is goals and production for both Smith and Abraham. They have the potential to take over games, and if the Spitfires are to get into the playoffs, both need to get on the scoresheet regularly.
4. A New Start for Castle
When general manager Bill Bowler pulled off a blockbuster deal with the Niagara IceDogs last January, he brought in defenceman Rodwin Dionicio and forward Aidan Castle, then both 18, in hopes that they would produce for multiple seasons. He was half right.
Dionicio was a beast for the club, with 43 points in 33 games last season and another 20 in 16 games this season prior to being traded to the Saginaw Spirit in November. However, Castle has been a completely different story. While he had 11 points in 33 games as a bottom-six forward in 2022-23, the former Oshawa Generals’ 2020 first-rounder was expected to have an increased role this season. It just hasn’t happened.
Castle got into regular action through early November and managed seven points in 18 games, but an injury kept him out of the lineup for two weeks. He made a return in late November for one game but has been scratched ever since. Given he’s 19 and the club is looking at the future, maybe it’s time for a fresh start.
For Santa’s second gift, it’s a new start for Castle, whether that’s with another OHL club or in another league. He’s been a team player since the start and even wore an alternate captain’s “A” during pre-season. However, if he’s constantly being scratched and the club is looking towards next season, it might be time to call a spade a spade.
3. Stability Behind the Bench
As we mentioned in our first-half team grades, the bench has been a chaotic scene for much of the season. Long-time assistant coach Jerrod Smith was named head coach after Marc Savard left for the Calgary Flames in the off-season. He was joined by long-time assistant Andy Delmore and new assistant Casey Torres. Fast forward to the 21-game mark, and the club had just four wins. That prompted Bowler to fire Smith and name Torres as the interim head coach, which started the dominoes. Delmore and goaltending coach Michael Leighton both resigned, forcing Bowler onto the bench where he has remained since. All of these changes happened within 24 hours on Mon., Nov. 20 and Tues., Nov. 21.
At the time of the firing, Bowler said that he wanted to find a new staff to join Torres. It was going to be a long, thoughtful process without a timeline. However, the Spitfires have gone 6-4 since the changes and look like a brand-new club. This begs the questions – does the bench stay the same for the rest of the season? Does Bowler hire an assistant to join him and Torres as soon as possible? Does he hire multiple people so he can focus on being the GM?
Our third ask of Santa is stability behind the bench in whatever form the jolly man sees fit. They’re playing competitive hockey and deserve a chance to focus on the playoffs, not what’s happening on the bench.
2. Continued Improvement from 2022 Draftees
One of Bowler’s aces has been his ability to draft well. The 2022 OHL Draft is a prime example.
The club’s success in 2021-22 meant most picks were near the end of their respective rounds. However, Bowler and his scouts may still have hit a home run with the draft. Forwards Liam Greentree, A.J. Spellacy, and Cole Davis, along with defencemen Anthony Cristoforo and Carson Woodall, and goaltender Carter Froggett, have all played key roles this season.
Spellacy, Greentree, and Cristoforo are all on the preliminary NHL Central Scouting’s “Players to Watch” list for the 2024 NHL Draft. Torres has also spoken highly of Davis and Woodall, while Froggett showed very well in a small taste and is eager to prove himself in the long term.
Related: Windsor Spitfires Look to Reload at 2022 OHL Draft
Greentree has been outstanding, with 40 points in 28 games; everyone is excited to see his development. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Davis is third in the OHL in rookie scoring and adds an unexpected physical element. Woodall was injured in November but has 10 points in 21 games. Torres said that, with continued development, he could see the NHL radar picking up in the second half. Spellacy and Cristoforo have had their ups and downs; Spellacy has been offensively inconsistent but has a non-stop motor, while Cristoforo needs defensive development but has 19 points in 30 games.
The fourth thing we’re asking Santa for is continued improvement for everyone in that draft class. This class has the potential to be one of the best drafts the club has seen in years. However, they’re going to need more development and more opportunities to be successful in order to reach their goals. They’re a big part of the future of the organization, and that starts as soon as the puck drops in the second half.
1. A Playoff Appearance
After winning back-to-back Western Conference regular season titles (44 wins each season and the first seed in the playoffs), fans got a heaping spoonful of success and enjoyed (almost) every second of it. They did lose to the eighth-seeded Kitchener Rangers in the first round last season, but otherwise, it was a fantastic two seasons for the club.
Coming into this season, heavy graduation and new coaches meant expectations were lowered a bit, with home ice being a reasonable target. Instead, a horrible start has them battling just to get into the playoffs. What’s easing the frustration and pain is the turnaround the club has seen since the coaching changes. They’ve gone 6-4 since that time, and most nights are competitive hockey.
The Spitfires enter the Christmas break just four points behind the Sarnia Sting for ninth (with a game in hand) and just eight points behind the Flint Firebirds for that final playoff spot (again, with a game in hand). The team has five more games with the Firebirds and three more with the Sting, along with three more against the eighth-seeded Erie Otters, so there is lots of room for catching up.
The final thing we’re asking Santa for is a playoff appearance. You’re going to see competitive hockey in the second half, and it would be an incredible boost to this young team to go from last in the OHL to a berth in the postseason. At that point, as we saw last season, anything can happen.
This season has been a rollercoaster for the Spitfires, but Santa’s coming at the best possible time. Get those milk and chocolate chip cookies ready (no raisins, we don’t need coal or suspensions!), and let’s see what the jolly man has on his sleigh for this organization!