After being filled with turkey, stuffing and gravy over the holiday break, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is back for its second half. This means it’s trade deadline season and, for the Windsor Spitfires, decisions need to be made.
The annual OHL trade deadline is quickly approaching with two deadlines – Thurs., Jan. 9 at noon for overagers (20-year-olds), where teams must be down to three overagers, and then Fri., Jan. 10 at noon for everyone else. It’s a chance for Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler to tinker with his club in order to give them the best shot at a playoff run this season and potentially even more in 2025-26. They have areas which could use improving and, if those are added to, two or three rounds in the playoffs could be a reasonable target. While they’re likely going to face the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) top-seeded London Knights if they go far enough, getting in two or three rounds is invaluable to the organization right now. Let’s take a look at what areas could be built on over the next couple of weeks.
Veteran Stay-at-Home Defenceman
Earlier in December, one of the things we listed on the Spitfires’ wish list for Santa was a veteran crease-clearing defenceman. Bowler isn’t overly vocal but hasn’t been one to shy away from getting what the team needs.
While the club is fourth in the OHL in goals against (93), there’s always room for help. They have multiple defencemen who can play at both ends of the rink including Anthony Cristoforo, Tnias Mathurin, and Carson Woodall, but they only have one guy who’s a true crease-clearer. That’s the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Conor Walton, who’s been very effective this season. They also have Czechia-born Josef Eichler, who plays physical but, at just 6-foot, 190 pounds, he can’t always handle the bigger guys. A big crease-clearing defenceman who has experience would go a long way come the spring.
The question is – who does Bowler go after? There are probably two targets. The first would be an 18 or 19-year-old who has experience and could return next season for a big run. That’s the primary target for contention, prior to several key veterans graduating in the summer of 2026. We could list off names but, if there’s one thing Bowler has shown, it’s that surprises are common. The second target is a local kid, such as Owen Sound Attack veteran Konnor Smith, 20, or Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ veteran Andrew Gibson, 19. While Smith is more physical, both bring the tools the Spitfires could use on their run. However, the prices may be too rich for Bowler’s blood and they’re both likely done after this season.
Whether it’s Smith, Gibson, or someone else, this is a significant area for Bowler to focus on. Their improvement defensively over last season (360 goals allowed in 68 games) is impressive but there is still room to grow.
A Top-Six 19-Year-Old
The 2021 OHL Draft (2005-born) was a fruitful one for the Spitfires. They landed 6-foot-4 power forward Ethan Miedema along with forwards Jack Greenwell, Chris O’Flaherty, and 6-foot-6 Ethan Martin, plus 6-foot-5 defenceman Tanner Winegard and 6-foot-6 defenceman Bronson Ride. It was supposed to be a solid glimpse into the future.
However, when Bowler went for his second run in 2022-23, that draft class was targeted in trades. Miedema, O’Flaherty, and Ride were all moved, which has left just Martin and Winegard from the class. Since then, the Spitfires have brought in goaltender Joey Costanzo from the Niagara IceDogs, forward Owen Outwater from the Kingston Frontenacs, and defenceman Josef Eichler in the 2023 CHL Import Draft to bolster their now 19-year-old group. However, there are still issues.
Related: Windsor Spitfires: 3 Comeback Candidates for 2024-25
While the 6-foot-6, 222-pound Martin has become a policeman of sorts, he’s best used in the bottom six. Winegard was a healthy scratch for most of November and is a seventh defenceman if he plays. Outwater has the talent to play in the top six but has seen multiple significant injuries including earlier in December. Eichler is an Import player and there’s no guarantee he will return next season. The only likely player to return is Costanzo as he’s been their rock from day one this season.
Bowler needs a significant top-six addition to this group, someone that will not only contribute this season but be a near-guaranteed return and producer next season. It would have been fantastic if Outwater or Martin could have fit into that mold but those visions are dwindling fast. If you’re going to make a run for the Memorial Cup, you need as good of a 2005-born overage group as you can build and that work starts as soon as possible.
A 17-Year-Old Forward
Part of going for their run in 2022-23 was sending away significant draft picks to build up their roster. Included in that were multiple second-, third-, and fourth-round picks from the 2023 OHL Draft (2007-born). It left Bowler with a first-round pick, where he selected forward Jack Nesbitt, but nothing until the fifth round. That’s where he selected defenceman Adrian Manzo, followed by defenceman Michael Lavigne in the sixth round. It hasn’t turned out great.
Nesbitt is a positive, currently having a breakout season with 13 goals and 30 points in 34 games. However, the rest of the class has been underwhelming. Manzo fared well last season with the LaSalle Vipers Jr. B, with 29 points in 38 games, but he has just four points in 28 games this season with the Spitfires and is still adjusting. Lavigne is still with the Vipers and has seen very limited OHL action. Nobody else from the draft has sniffed the OHL, either.
While Nesbitt has become a name that teams are asking for in trades, Bowler should find a way to boost this draft class. Bringing in a 17-year-old who can help Nesbitt would go a long way to this season and beyond. Right now, the group has become a bit of an afterthought. By bringing in a younger talent, you take pressure off the veterans to produce while also taking pressure off the 16-year-old rookies who are still getting adjusted to the league. It’s not the biggest need right now, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep eyes open in case something comes calling.
Nobody knows what’s going to happen over the next two(ish) weeks. However, given Bowler’s history of the unexpected, it’s going to be a fun ride and one worth keeping an eye on.
Sign up for our FREE NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter
