Spits have 4 goalies inked
The Spitfires have seemingly solidified their crease situation for the present and the future with four goalies — all born in different years — now signed to Ontario Hockey League packages.
The Windsor foursome are Joey Costanzo (2005), Carter Froggett (2006), Michael Newlove (2007) and Jake Windbiel (2008.)
“This gives us four goalies from all four age groups,” Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler relayed to Hockey News Windsor. “They are all good. We like them all. We have always preached creating depth and now we have four goalies who we feel are OHL calibre. Obviously Joey (Costanzo) has the experience but overall we like the depth that we have built up.”
The 6 foot 1 Costanzo has already appeared in 98 OHL games — 81 of them with Windsor. He had a good first season in Windsor in ’22-23 when he posted a record of 26-6-0 with a 3.03 goals against average and .901 save percentage. But as the Spits toppled from top spot in the Western Conference of the OHL in ’22-23 all the way to the bottom in ’23-24, Costanzo also went in reverse with a record of 10-23-3, 5.09 goals against average and .855 save percentage. (The Spits had acquired the former second round pick of the Niagara Ice Dogs from the 2021 OHL priority selections draft just ahead of the ’22-23 season.)
Next in line is Froggett. A sixth round pick by Windsor at the 2022 OHL priority selections draft, the 6 foot 3 Froggett has since played for the London Jr. Knights of the Under 18 level Hockey Alliance and the London Nationals of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. He also got into two OHL games with the Spitfires in ’23-24. Froggett put up good numbers in the GOJHL for London during the ’23-24 season. Regular season and playoffs included for the Nationals, Froggett flashed a record of 19-6-0 with a 2.64 goals against average and .913 save percentage.
Meanwhile, Newlove has been assigned to the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League ahead of the ’24-25 season. The 6 foot 2 puck stopper was selected by Windsor with the first overall pick of the 2024 OHL supplemental draft.
Then there is Windbiel, who is the youngster of the group. The 6 foot 4 Chicago native was taken by the Spitfires in the seventh round of the 2024 OHL priority selections draft and quickly signed to an OHL package. Windbiel is likely ticketed for the Spitfires Jr. B affiliate team, the LaSalle Lancers of the GOJHL.
The Spitfires are also in an enviable position when it comes to veteran goalie instructors with decades of OHL experience. They are incoming goalie coach Stan Matwijiw and director of goaltender in charge of scouting and development Bill Dark.
