OHL Spitfires are five alive
They have been minus a trio of seasoned forwards away at National Hockey League training camps for the first five games of the ’25-26 Ontario Hockey League regular season. Still, the Spitfires of Windsor have a perfect 5-0-0 record minus Liam Greentree (first round, Los Angeles Kings), Jack Nesbitt (first round, Philadelphia Flyers) and A.J. Spellacy (third round, Chicago Blackhawks.)
To be sure — and for the second season in succession — this is pretty damn good team that Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler has slung together for his hand picked head coach and good friend Greg Walters.
HIGH ALTITUDE
Unbeaten through five games, the Spitfires are 3-0-0 on the road and 2-0-0 at home and have outscored their opponents by a resounding 23-4 margin.
SULTAN OF SWING
Beksultan Makysh has been an early season rookie sensation for Windsor with five goals, two assists, seven points in five games.
Clearly, aforementioned GM Billy Bowler and first year director of player personnel Mark Seidel did their homework in snagging Makysh with the 114th pick of the 2025 Canadian Hockey League import draft.
A 5 foot 10, 165 pound forward with a 2008 birth date, Makysh — who hails from Kazakhstan — literally lit it up while playing for Boston Hockey Academy in ’24-25 by scorching the opposition for 64 goals, 57 assists, 121 points in 57 games.
GOODY WOODY
Local lad Carson Woodall continues to be a find for Windsor as a 2006 birth year defenseman and former 10th round pick by Bowler and the Spitfires.
A Belle River resident, Woodall has wrung up seven assists in the five games to date and seems to be extra fired up after attending the NHL rookie camp of the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent invitee.
NET WORTH
Through five games, the Spitfires have allowed just four goals.
Overage holdover Joey Costanzo has a 3-0-0 record with a 0.67 goals against average and .971 save percentage while 2007 birth year rookie Michael Newlove is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals against average and .966 save percentage.
GARDEN PARTY
Second year forward Ethan Garden — a ninth round pick by Bowler at the 2024 OHL priority selections draft — is averaging more than a point per game with two goals and five assists.
SPITTING MORE FIRE
Imagine what the Spitfires may be capable of once aforementioned forwards Liam Greentree, Jack Nesbitt and A.J. Spellacy are back in the Windsor lineup following their NHL stays.