As the calendar turns to December, the 2025-26 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) trade deadline season unofficially begins. The Windsor Spitfires are paying close attention as they could be one to make some noise.
After a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Kitchener Rangers in last season’s second round of the playoffs, the Spitfires came into this season ready to challenge for a league championship. General manager Bill Bowler has shown he’s willing to make the necessary moves regardless of the direction the season takes. They sit atop the Western Conference but, with teams right on their tail, they know that they can’t stand pat and watch others improve. With the deadline set for Sat., Jan. 10, 2026, the team has holes that need to be filled, so let’s talk about who we think should be on their wish list.
Top-Six Scoring Forward
The first, and arguably biggest, piece on Bowler’s list is bringing in an elite producer. Last season, the Spitfires had one of the best duos in the OHL with forwards Ilya Protas (Washington Capitals) and captain Liam Greentree (Los Angeles Kings). They combined for 124 points in 61 games and 119 points in 64 games, respectively.
Unfortunately, Protas was eligible for the American Hockey League this season and has stuck with the Hershey Bears. That was on top of the club getting ready to lose forwards Noah Morneau (73 points in 68 games) and Ryan Abraham (66 points in 66 games) to graduation.
When you lose that much scoring, you need to replace it. While forward Ethan Belchetz has done a fantastic job with 29 points in 25 games, and Greentree has 28 points in 20 games, they need help getting more production overall.
The Spitfires sit third in the league with 108 goals through 28 games, putting them on pace for 293 goals in 68 games, a drop of 16 from last season. Their secondary scoring needs to improve (which we’ll talk about below), but it also shows that they could really use a top-six forward to help Belchetz and Greentree. Expecting them, or any other veterans, to suddenly replace the trio of graduates is a tough ask.
Bowler’s top priority should be getting that top-six forward, someone who can step in and produce at a point-per-game level, while taking pressure off of the rest of the forwards. While Flyers’ prospect Jett Luchanko was traded from the Guelph Storm to the Brantford Bulldogs earlier in November, there are still numerous names out there, including Sudbury Wolves’ veterans Nathan Villeneuve (Seattle Kraken) and Kieron Walton (Winnipeg Jets), who happens to be the twin brother of Spitfires’ defenceman Conor. There’s also Barrie Colts’ veteran Cole Beaudoin (Utah Mammoth) who could be in play if their club decides to sell.
The Spitfires’ offence can still produce well. However, if they want to get to the level of last season and be at the top of the OHL, they’re going to need to address this and look for that major talent.
Bottom-Six Productive Veteran
The secondary scoring has seen consistency issues all season for the Spitfires. Players have gone through lengthy hot-and-cold streaks, and head coach Greg Walters has often said the club needs more consistency from the secondary scoring.
When the Spitfires are healthy, they scratch forwards Cole Dubowsky and Shawn Costello due to numbers. However, when injuries, illnesses, or suspensions creep in, the two are put into the lineup. The issue is that neither brings offence and they rarely show their trademark physical game. Walters has even gone with 11 forwards and seven defencemen on occasion just to make sure their 18th player is productive.
The solution here is bringing in an inexpensive but productive veteran who can play a third or fourth-line role consistently. Ideally, it’s a player who has a history of scoring but is currently on a struggling team and can eat minutes with the Spitfires.
Three historic examples that come to mind were forwards Jacob Maillet, Alex Christopoulos, and Josh Currie, who were brought in during the 2021-22 run to the OHL Championship series. All three played a vital role in the bottom six and came at reasonable costs.
If Bowler wants to get to the OHL Championship, he’s going to need a team that can roll four lines every game. Bringing in some veteran depth for the bottom-six would go a long way towards that.
Top-Pairing Crease-Clearing Defenceman
While offence is essential, there’s one area on defence that could use a bit of tweaking – a top-pairing, tough defenceman.
The Spitfires have the 6-foot-5, 211-pound Walton, 19, along with 6-foot-5, 201-pound veteran Wyatt Kennedy, 20, as their physical defencemen. However, while both bring plenty to the table and are fantastic teammates, neither brings the complete offence plus physicality package the club could use. That’s where Bowler comes into play.
One of the names that had popped up earlier was Oshawa Generals’ defenceman Ben Danford (Toronto Maple Leafs), but he was traded to the Bulldogs in an October blockbuster. Who could be left? The Sarnia Sting are young, and their captain, 19-year-old Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues), could be graduating after this season. Bowler rarely makes deals with the Sting, but this could be enticing enough for both clubs to pull something off. Another possibility, if they become a seller, is Colts’ defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson. The New York Islanders’ prospect is 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, is second in the OHL in defensive points with 30 in 24 games, and is one of the hardest hitters in the league.
Bowler has often taken the path less travelled when it comes to deals. However, if he wants to get that top-pairing defencemen, and he’s willing to pay, he has some options.
A Third Overager
Every team in the OHL is allowed to dress three 20-year-old (overage) players per game. You can have more on your roster until the trade deadline, but only three can dress.
Coming into the season, the Spitfires had Kennedy, goaltender Joey Costanzo, and forward Owen Outwater as their guys. Kennedy was almost a lock to stick around; he brings a physical element that they need. Costanzo had a great 2024-25 campaign and even better playoffs, which cemented his spot this season. Outwater was a tricky story. After being acquired from the Kingston Frontenacs in November 2023, he suffered back-to-back season-ending shoulder injuries, and his return this season was a toss-up. He did return but saw spotty fourth-line duty and, after just two points in eight games, they mutually parted ways.
With Outwater playing in Junior A, Bowler has an overage spot open, and now is the perfect chance to fill that. There are multiple teams that are either looking towards next season, or even further down the road, where he could pick up a player for a reasonable price. One option includes Wolves’ forward Chase Coughlan. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder has 15 points in 26 games this season and brings a feisty edge. There’s also Storm captain forward Charlie Paquette. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Essex native has 20 points in 24 games, plays a hard-nosed brand, and this would be a pretty ideal homecoming.
Like the other areas, Bowler could take another path, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone. However, bringing someone in with production and experience would go a long way to helping this team get back to the OHL Championship.
Another Import Player
This might be down on the list for the Spitfires, but it’s an area we have to mention. Like overage players, every team in the OHL is allowed to roster three Import players (a player whose parents or guardians reside primarily outside of Canada or the United States).
Last season, the club had Protas (Belarus) and Czech defenceman Josef Eichler. In May, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) increased the limit from two to three players. While Protas stuck in the AHL, Eichler was eligible to become an overage player. Instead, he went to the United States Hockey League, leaving Bowler with three holes to fill.
In the first round of July’s CHL Import Draft, Bowler chose Slovak forward Michal Svrcek (Detroit Red Wings), who’s playing in Sweden right now. In the second round, Bowler took Kazakhstan forward Beksultan Makysh out of the Boston Hockey Academy. In the third round, they got Swiss forward Loan Burkhalter.
Related: Spitfires Make History, Select Trio at 2025 CHL Import Draft
While Makysh, 17, came to the Spitfires and has put up a very respectable 18 points in 28 games, he’s the only Import to make the roster. Svrcek, 18, stayed in Sweden and is bouncing between Brynas IF and Vasteras IK, all at various levels. Burkhalter, 16, is back in Switzerland playing for various levels and clubs as well, including HC La Chaux-de-Fonds.
This means Bowler has possibly two openings he could fill. It’s hard to believe he’s closed the door on Svrcek, given the youngster is a Red Wings’ prospect. Unfortunately, Burkhalter isn’t likely ready for the OHL and won’t see action until next season, if he does at all. Again, this isn’t an urgent area, but one that we’re going to mention.
Spitfires Have Assets to Move
The question is – if Bowler brought in some talents, who would he ship out?
The 2024 OHL Draft (2008-born) was very fruitful for the Spitfires. Belchetz aside, as he’s not being moved, the club has a number of players they could deal, including forwards J.C. Lemieux and Ethan Garden, plus defencemen Carter Hicks, Andrew Robinson, and Grady Spicer. They also have forward Caden Harvey from the 2025 OHL Draft as he was born in 2008. Also from 2025 is first-round pick forward John McLaughlin, though league rules don’t allow first-round picks to be traded until January. Besides Harvey and McLaughlin, no other picks from that draft can be moved until the season is over, either.
This isn’t to say all of them will be traded, or even most of them. Some won’t accept deals or Bowler won’t want to move them. However, they are options.
He also has several draft picks. According to the OHL Draft Pick Database, between the upcoming 2026 OHL Draft and the 2029 OHL Draft, which is as far as teams can move picks right now, the club has five second-round picks, four third-round picks, four fourth-round picks, and most picks in their other rounds (up to Round 15).
It’s possible that the team is left with a fairly empty draft cupboard come Jan. 11 and Bowler tries to replenish it in the summer or next season, once they rebuild. The term “pay to play” seems to fit here.
The Spitfires have enough assets to get a few trades done, or even one large “one-stop-shop” move if they can find that. Bowler will likely go all-in again and hope they don’t get eliminated in the first round like they did in 2022-23 when they lost to the eighth-seeded Rangers in a first-round sweep. That can’t happen twice, right?
Coming into trade deadline season, Bowler has a lot on his plate. With the Bulldogs already loading up and teams in the Western Conference likely to get their deals going soon, something has to give. These areas could shore up the Spitfires’ roster and set them up for a long playoff run.
