Russian to play in Windsor
A roll of the Russian roulette dice has paid off for the Spitfires with the unpredictable signing of 2009 birth year forward Bogdan Yakushevsky ahead of the ’26-27 Ontario Hockey League season.
To sure, there was no high degree of certainty about whether the 6 foot, 180 pound Russian born skater would commit to Windsor after the Spitfires took him in the first round of the recent Canadian Hockey League import draft.
But here he is (in photo at left) with a signed commitment to be part of a Spitfires forward unit in ’26-27 that has had several key offensive cogs from the ’25-26 season move on, including no less than three National Hockey League first round draft picks — Liam Greentree, Jack Nesbitt and Ethan Belchetz.
Thus, Windsor general manager Billy Bowler is hoping for “big things” out of Yakushevsky.
“Yakushevsky is a highly rated offensive player who brings a lot to us,” relayed Bowler. “He is coming in as a younger player but with his potential and his ceiling, we are hoping for big things out of him.”
Summer Spree Of Signings. Above mentioned forward Bogdan Yakushevsky is the latest newcomer to sign with the new look Spitfires this off season. Other summer signings include forward Lauchlan Whelan (first round pick from the 2026 OHL priority selections draft), defenseman Jake LaMontagne (fourth round pick from the 2026 priority selections draft), forwards Ty Bergeron (third round pick from 2025 priority selections draft), Michal Svrcek (first round pick from 2025 import draft), Hamza Havusic (first round pick from 2025 supplemental draft) and defensemen Jesse Debruyn (fourth round pick from 2025 priority selections draft), Sam Wathier (fifth round pick from 2024 priority selections draft) and Drake Gram (eighth round pick from 2024 priority selections draft.)
