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Rychel's late gamble pays for Windsor with Fischer signing

Christian Fischer with Windsor coach Rocky Thompson, left, and GM Warren Rychel. Photo: Windsor Spitfires
Christian Fischer with Windsor coach Rocky Thompson, left, and GM Warren Rychel. Photo: Windsor Spitfires

It’s been a while, but Warren Rychel is finally looking forward to a Windsor Spitfires season with more than just cautious optimism.

“You can probably tell I’m excited,” said the general manager. “More than I have been in the past few years. I think we’re a little deeper and we’ve made some changes.”

A big part of that excitement came on Monday morning, when the team announced the signing of American forward Christian Fischer. The 18-year-old was a second round pick – 32nd overall – of the Arizona Coyotes at the June NHL entry draft. He spent last season with the U.S. National Team Development Program’s under-18 squad, where he scored 31 goals and 33 assists in 66 games. The native of Wayne, Ill., had been committed to the hockey program at Notre Dame, but after recently signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Coyotes, his NCAA eligibility was quashed.

“He’s a real smart, hard working player,” said Rychel of Fischer. “He’s good in the corners, good on the wall, plays a complete game and he can play in every situation: power play, penalty kill and even strength.”

That turned Rychel’s low-risk gamble of taking Fischer in the 11th round of the 2013 OHL draft into a high-reward winning hand.

“Taking him that late I knew 99 per cent he was going to the (USNTDP) program for two years,” said Rychel, who kept in contact with the Fischer family. “Things kind of changed here in the last week or so to swing in our favour – we’re pretty fortunate.”

There hasn’t been much for Rychel to gloat over in recent years after the Ontario Hockey League slapped the Spitfires with sanctions after the team was caught breaking rules in regards to recruitment and benefits. In total the team was fined $250,000 and stripped of first round draft picks in 2013 and 2016 and second round draft picks in 2015 and 2017.

Rychel admits the penalty has taken – and continues to take - a toll on his team.

“It really hurt,” said Rychel. “When you take away a first round pick – a top 20 player – it’s really tough. But if you get things like this happen, you can make it up quick. Losing those first and second-rounders they kill you, because that’s how you build your team; those are your star players.”

He sees getting a top prospect like Fischer without giving up any assets as a bonus to help his team out break out of mediocrity.

“When a gamble like this pays off it really helps because you’re getting a top line player, you’re getting a second round (NHL) pick into your lineup that’s developed. He’s two years into his junior eligibility and he’s developed quite nicely so you’re getting an impact player right away - that kind of takes away the pain a bit.”

In July, Spits head coach Bob Boughner announced he was leaving the team to join the San Jose Sharks as an assistant coach. He was replaced by former Edmonton Oilers assistant coach Rocky Thompson. Joining Thompson on the bench as an assistant is former Sarnia Sting head coach Trevor Letowski, a welcome addition as someone familiar with the league.

Last season the Spits finished last in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs with a 24-40-2-2 record (52 points).

Finishing near the bottom of the OHL standings meant the Spitfires were also able to pick high in the CHL import draft. They selected Russian defenceman Mikhail Sergachyov sixth overall. In the regular draft, the Spits used their second-overall pick to take 6-foot-2, 185-pound centre Gabriel Vilardi.

“It just gives us better tools to work with,” said Rychel. “We’re a much better team than we were when the lights went out in March.”