All posts by Randy Russon
LaSalle via Lakeshore
Anthony Iaquinta is moving up from head coach of the reigning champion Lakeshore Canadiens of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League to the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League as their new bench boss. …[read more]
Spits set with overages
It was just last month over lunch at the Loose Goose Resto Pub and Lounge in downtown Windsor that Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler told me that one of his priorities was to have the team’s three overage players in place in advance of the start of the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season. Mission now accomplished. …[read more]
Spits ready for takeoff
A season of turbulence is on the exit ramp. Jet smooth skyways are part of the flight plan for the Spitfires ahead of the looming Ontario Hockey League season. …[read more]
Spitfires add overage D
Overage defenseman Tnias Mathurin is headed to the Spitfires by way of an Ontario Hockey League trade with the North Bay Battalion. The deal involves a number of future draft picks. …[read more]
Flugins flies off to Flint
Canadian Hockey League import draft pick Karlis Flugins has been signed by the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League ahead of the looming ’24-25 season.
Spits have a Max factor
It is not easy for a fresh faced rookie to make an impact in the Ontario Hockey League. The biggest adjustment for most is going up against players who are as much as three and four years older. Having said that, one 2008 birth year skater — and born in December no less — worth keeping track of come the ’24-25 season is Spitfires forward Max Brocklehurst.
Costanzo and Froggett
As the Spitfires zoom in on the start of a training camp that is about three weeks away it is Joey Costanzo and Carter Froggett who are the presumptive front runners in what is a crowded crease of Windsor goalies.
Abraham and Morneau
They are bookends from the Spitfires priority selections draft class of 2020. One was a first round pick, 14th overall. The other went 294th overall in the 15th and final round. And Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler has confirmed to Hockey News Windsor that both Ryan Abraham and Noah Morneau will return as overage forwards for the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
Spitfires staff summation
The start of training camp is a mere month away. Meanwhile, it has been a whirly bird of an off season for the Spitfires including the hiring of a new head coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and a goalie coach who will form a tested tandem with the director of goaltending.
Spitfires net contention
Tick, tick, tick. The clock is ticking. As general manager Billy Bowler has built the Spitfires to rebound in ’24-25 after missing the Ontario Hockey League playoffs in ’23-24 there is competition brewing for Windsor’s goalie positions.
Leamington via NOJHL
Forward Brendan Cooke has been acquired by the Leamington Flyers of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League from the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in a cash exchange.
Good guy Bobby Jones
If they say that only the good die young, well, in this case that is certainly true. Hailing from Haviland Bay, Ontario — he was proud to refer to it as his home — Bobby Jones has passed away at the young age of 54 after being diagnosed a few years back with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS.)
Winegard winding up
As the Spitfires seek to soar up the steps in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League in ’24-25 they will have a slew of seasoned defenders to look up to including 6 foot 6 plus minus leader Tanner Winegard.
Berry in Mt. Brydges
This is a plum of a goalie with considerable high level junior hockey experience. He is Aiden Berry, who has opted to sign with the Mount Brydges Bulldogs of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League ahead of the ’24-25 season. …[read more]
Sidebars & snippets
It was just a tad under two months ago that the host Saginaw Spirit scored a razor thin win over the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights in what was an all OHL showdown for the 2024 Memorial Cup crown. But the restless hands of time are already ticking towards a new season and the projections and prognosis that go with it.
Seven ’07s to surveil
Our Hockey News Windsor choice list of seven select 2007 birth year skaters from the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League includes Spitfires forward Jack Nesbitt. In all, the skilled seven are projected to be impact players in ’24-25 after showing particular potential and promise as OHL rookies in ’23-24.
U.S.A. calls on A.J.
Spitfires forward A.J. Spellacy has been invited to attend Team USA’s upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase. The event is part of the process to select the Team USA roster for the next IIHF World Junior Championships.
Spits sign more size
The Spitfires have added another major building block ahead of the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season with the signing of import forward Ilya Protas.
Spits at HC camps
Four players who figure to be prominent performers for the present and future of the Spitfires have been invited to separate Hockey Canada summer camps.
OHL is in the offing
Hot fun in the summertime will soon turn to ice. For example, It doesn’t matter if you are up north in Sault Ste. Marie, in the mid to lower Michigan regions of Flint and Saginaw, or in the southwestern Ontario areas of London and Windsor, first pucks will drop on Ontario Hockey League training camps in late August.
Spitfire off to Carleton
Graduating Spitfires defenseman Connor Toms is utilizing his Ontario Hockey League education package to begin his university schooling and playing career this fall.
Select your Spits seat
Spitfire fans can select their own full or mini season ticket plan for the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League campaign in person on July 16 and 17 at the WFCU Centre.
LaSalle to the Sault
Defenseman Gage Evans has been acquired by his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League via trade with the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Rob Maggio revisited
A familiar face has joined the credible coaching staff of the Spitfires. Well known Windsor resident Rob Maggio is on board with the Ontario Hockey League team as its newly hired strength and conditioning coach.
OHL pick to Chatham
Forward Ian Lachance, who led the Timmins Majors and the Great North Under 18 Hockey League in scoring in 2023-2024 before becoming an Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Saginaw Spirit, has signed with the Chatham Maroons of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News Windsor has confirmed. …[read more]
Net gain for Spitfires
Is there an Ontario Hockey League team with a better set of goalie gurus than the Spitfires? Well, it might be tough to top the Windsor instructor tandem of Bill Dark and newcomer Stan Matwijiw.
Team Canada coaches
Ontario Hockey League coaches Dave Cameron of the Ottawa 67’s and Chris Lazary of the Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit will lead Team Canada at the 2025 World Jr. Hockey Championships that are slated for Ottawa.
Spitfires get big import
Belarusian forward Ilya Protas was plucked by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League with the third overall pick of the 2024 Canadian Hockey League import draft.
Walters and Bowler
Greg Walters, who has a winning record as an Ontario Hockey League head coach with both the Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack, has a new gig. …[read more]
Coach add on in Lucan
Liam McCarthy has joined the staff of the Lucan Irish of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League as its goalie coach, Hockey News Windsor has confirmed. …[read more]
Flint of the NHL Draft
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have continued their franchise streak of having at least one player drafted at the annual National Hockey League selections process. …[read more]
Spits of the NHL Draft
A pair of good size Spitfires have become 2024 National Hockey League draft picks. Liam Greentree went in the first round to the Los Angeles Kings and fellow forward AJ Spellacy was picked by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round. …[read more]
Greentree to LA Kings
Spitfires forward Liam Greentree was one of nine Ontario Hockey League skaters to be selected in the first round of Friday’s National Hockey League draft. …[read more]
A way too early outlook
Perhaps I am just bored. Or, missing hockey season. Whatever the reason, I feel compelled to give my way too early predictions as to how the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League might play out in ’24-25. …[read more]
Paul Maurice and Stanley
I have been rooting for Paul Maurice ever since the 1984 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft when the Windsor Spitfires took the lanky defenseman in the third round from the Sault Ste. Marie Legion midgets. …[read more]
W3 on the Windsor D
Walton. Winegard. Woodall. Three defensemen, each with a full season of Ontario Hockey League experience in Windsor. A troika of defenders who are projected for continued progress as part of the plan for the Spitfires in 2024-2025.
Woodall winds down
Bryan Pearse of Rising Athletes Advisory made Hockey News Windsor aware of a fearless feat performed by Spitfires defenseman Carson Woodall on the weekend. …[read more]
On the bench in Lucan
Two holdovers and two fresh faces are among the coaches that the Lucan Irish of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League have confirmed ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
Saginaw moves a goalie
Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit has sent 2004 birth year goalie Nolan Lalonde to the Kingston Frontenacs in a summer breeze of an Ontario Hockey League trade. …[read more]
One night in Windsor
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Of the hundreds of folks who have read my recently authored book, Tales Of An Old Hockey Writer, the majority who have commented on it to me have relayed that their favourite chapter is the one titled One Night In Windsor. Following is a reprint of Chapter Four, complete with adult content.) …[read more]
Spitfire slate for ’24-25
Thursday will continue to be the primary home date for the Spitfires come the 2024-2025 Ontario Hockey League season. In all, 13 of Windsor’s 34 home games for the ’24-25 OHL season will be played on a Thursday. Following is the Spitfires full home and away schedule for the ’24-25 season. …[read more]
Flint has games, tickets
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have unveiled their 2024-2025 regular season schedule and season ticket information at the same time. …[read more]
MC Smitty and the Spits
The 1990-1991 season was one of substantial rebound for the Windsor Spitfires. After missing the Ontario Hockey League playoffs in 1989-1990 with a record of 17-41-8, head coach Brad (Motor City Smitty) Smith and the Spitfires ascended the Emms Division ladder in ’90-91 with a 28 point improvement from a record of 33-29-4. …[read more]
Mix of Rossetto, Garden
Every year seems to yield a steal as far as Ontario Hockey League draft picks go. Two from the 2024 OHL priority selections draft who just might end up being swindles are smaller size forwards Nik Rossetto of the Brantford Bulldogs and Ethan Garden of the Windsor Spitfires. …[read more]
OHL home openers
Get your tickets ready. The Ontario Hockey League has confirmed its 2024-2025 regular season home openers for all 20 teams.
Signing top OHL picks
Windsor Spitfires and Flint Firebirds — Western Conference rivals — have both come through with early signings of several of their top choices from the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
Power in Port Stanley
Local lad A.J. Power has signed up to play for the Port Stanley Sailors of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
Back with Port Stanley
One was the assistant captain. The other was the captain. And forwards Dylan Watson and Jordan Medeiros have both committed to return to the Port Stanley Sailors of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League for the 2024-2025 season.
Froggett ready for a leap?
It has been two years since the Spitfires took goalie Carter Froggett in the sixth round of the 2022 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
Garden party for Spitfires
Ethan Garden might have been a top two rounds pick at the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft if it was a virtual certainty that the Michigan born centre would commit to play in the OHL.
Blockbuster OHL trade
Trade season in the Ontario Hockey League has begun. And the Flint Firebirds have opened it with an explosive transaction involving six players and nine draft picks. …[read more]
Spitfires ink another pick
High scoring forward Max Brocklehurst is signed and sealed with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
Mount Brydges net gain
Andy Friyia wants to see the Mount Brydges Bulldogs reduce their goals against come the 2024-2025 Provincial Jr. Hockey League season. Which is why the Bulldogs’ president has hired the renowned Bill Dark to be the goalie coach in Mount Brydges. …[read more]
Four from the draft door
Two forwards, a defenseman and a goalie from the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft have now signed with the Spitfires. Included in the foursome is the big prize from the ’24 lottery.
Spits set up for rebound
Missing the playoffs is in the rear view mirror. Focused on what looms ahead for the 2024-2025 season and beyond, the Windsor Spitfires have the engine in restart mode after it backfired in 2023-2024. Between a bad start and a bad finish the Spitfires were not a bad team in the middle of the ’23-24 season. …[read more]
Dark in Mount Brydges
Mount Brydges Bulldogs of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League will have the use of an esteemed goalie coach for the 2024-2025 season, Hockey News Windsor has confirmed. …[read more]
Spits sign sizeable stopper
American born goalie Jake Windbiel has opted to sign with the Windsor Spitfires over pursuing a U.S. college hockey scholarship. The 6 foot 4, 210 pound puck stopper was scooped up by the Spitfires in the seventh round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft from the Tier 1 AAA Chicago Mission. …[read more]
Two Spits are OHL stars
Spitfire forwards Liam Greentree and Cole Davis have been identified by the Ontario Hockey League for their performances during the 2023-2024 regular season.
Five favourite Spitfires
I have followed the Spitfires for a long time, having watched a multitude of Thursday night home games at rickety old Windsor Arena, beginning with their Ontario Hockey League debut season of 1975-1976.
Dark side of the Spitfires
There have been masterly goalie coaches over the years who have been consummate tutors for more than one Ontario Hockey League team. Names that promptly come to mind are Terry Barbeau, formerly of the Soo Greyhounds and Saginaw Spirit and Bill Dark, erstwhile of the London Knights and Hamilton Bulldogs, now of the Windsor Spitfires.
OHL via Jr. B GOJHL
London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League are a good example of allowing several of their key players to develop in the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Firebirds and Spitfires
One has had an Ontario Hockey League presence since 1975. The other set up shop in the OHL 40 years later, in 2015. They are the long settled Spitfires of Windsor and the fledgling Firebirds of Flint — and the rivalry is growing.
Ex Spitfires with Spirit
After back to back finishes atop the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League, the Spitfires missed the playoffs in 2023-2024. But two key players who started the season in Windsor are now competing for the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit.
Spitfires from the Sault
Sault Ste. Marie and Windsor have a timeless association. The number of people from Sault Ste. Marie who left home over the decades and centuries to attend post secondary school at either the University of Windsor or St. Clair College is literally in the thousands. And as far as the Ontario Hockey League goes, the register of players from the Sault who have suited up for Windsor since the Spitfires first became members of the OHL in 1975 is a rather extensive and monumental one.
Spits sign another plum
Another day, another high pick from the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft inked by the Spitfires.
Spits sign second selection
Jean-Christoph Lemieux is signed and sealed to the Spitfires. Windsor took the 6 foot, 173 pound forward in the second round, 22nd overall, of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
Spitfires have stock in net
The Spitfires are building their assets at the goalie position. Windsor — which missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs in 2023-2024 after back to back first place finishes atop the Western Conference — has assembled a plethora of puck stoppers to choose from as part of their present and future flight plan.
Oriented at Spitfires camp
It served as an introduction for the new kids. Goalie Cam Ingram was among a group of 2024 draft picks who got a taste of how it feels to be a part of the Spitfires program.
Spitfires to the Lancers
Goalie Max Donoso is moving from one high level of hockey to another without leaving his hometown of Windsor.
Windsor is in my blood
I have had an association to Windsor that dates back to my early to mid 1960s childhood days of playing road hockey in the alleyway between Howard and Lillian near Erie St. E. …[read more]