Yahoo Sports OHL Preseason Roster Breakdown: Windsor Spitfires
The OHL preseason kicked off last weekend, and excitement is building as more teams are gearing up to hit the ice for the first time. Building on our training camp series breakdowns, we'll be diving into the preseason rosters to give you the inside scoop.
In our training camp series, we delved into the import players, overage players (2004-born), and first-year draft-eligible players to watch, along with other noteworthy storylines.
Today we are looking at the Windsor Spitfire's preseason roster. The link to their roster can be found here.
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Windsor's preseason begins on Sept. 6, Friday night at home when they host the Sarnia Sting. The Spitfires finished second last in the OHL standings last year with a record of 18-42-5-3 but won the draft lottery, netting them the first overall selection, which they used on the towering forward, Ethan Belchetz.
Their preseason roster consists of 17 forwards, 10 defensemen, and three goaltenders.
Overage Players
Windsor's overage situation is set. Forwards Ryan Abraham, Noah Morneau, and defenseman Tnias Mathurin are the three 2004-born players on their roster for the 2024-25 season.
Luke Durda/OHL Images
Ryan Abraham heads into his fourth season with the team, coming off a career-high season in goals (31) and points (66). He should operate as the team's number-one center, much like he did after the team traded away Jacob Maillet halfway through last season.
Noah Morneau's journey is truly inspiring. A Windsor native, he rose from playing for the Windsor Jr. Spitfires AAA organization to becoming a full-time OHL player for his home team over the last two seasons, despite being drafted in the last round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection (294th overall).
Tnias Mathurin was acquired by Windsor early in August in exchange for four draft picks. He is exactly what the team needs on the backend. Mathurin's reliability and toughness on defense will stop Windsor from being a team that gets pushed around. And his leadership will be a beacon for the younger players.
Mathurin was a fifth-round draft pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. However, Detroit elected not to sign him, making him a free agent. After this season, there's a good chance we see the 6-foot-3 defender in the AHL.
Import Players
Winger Ilya Protas and defenseman Josef Eichler have filled Windsor's two import spots.
Ilya Protas played in the USHL for the Des Moines Buccaneers last season, producing 51 points in 61 games, and caught the eyes of the Washington Capitals scouting staff who drafted him in the third round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
With the third overall selection in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, the Spitfires selected the Belarussian forward and quickly signed him to an OHL deal. Protas' playmaking skills will complement playing alongside goal scorers A.J. Spellacy and Ryan Abraham.
Josef Eichler enters his second season with the team, completing his rookie campaign last year with 12 points in 64 games. The right-shot Czech defender will be relied upon to fulfill a bigger role on Windsor's blueline or he'll be pushed down the depth chart by the younger defensemen on the roster.
Size, Size & More Size
When we took a glance through Windsor's preseason roster we noticed something. This is a big team. Below is a quick rundown of some of their players with their height and weight according to the OHL site:
Forwards:
A.J. Spellacy - 6'3", 204lbs
Kyler Morgan - 6'2", 202lbs
Ilya Protas - 6'5", 200lbs
Ethan Belchetz - 6'5", 226lbs
Liam Greentree - 6'3", 216lbs
Jack Nesbitt - 6'4", 182lbs
Ethan Martin - 6'6", 222lbs
Owen Outwater - 6'2", 187lbs
Defense:
Michael Lavigne - 6'5", 213lbs
Evan Hjelholt - 6'3", 209lbs
Conor Walton - 6'5", 204lbs
Tnias Mathurin - 6'3", 200lbs
Tanner Winegard - 6'6", 226lbs
The majority of players listed will be in the Spitfire's lineup full-time in the upcoming season. Other OHL teams will have a challenge pushing around a team with this kind of size throughout their lineup.
2025 NHL Draft-Eligible
Windsor saw their captain Liam Greentree and A.J. Spellacy get drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft. This year, the team has four players entering their first year of draft eligibility, three of which patrol the blueline.
Luke Durda/OHL Images
The loan forward is Windsor's 20th overall pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Jack Nesbitt. Standing at 6-foot-4, it's hard not to notice Nesbitt. The big centerman is a very fluid skater and puck transporter in transition. He certainly will attract the eyes of NHL scouts.
On defense, the team has Michael Lavigne, Adrian Manzo, and Evan Hjelholt (late 2006 birthdate). All three players were AP players and did not play full-time with the team last year. It will be a battle for ice time considering the Spitfire's blueline when healthy should be Mathurin, Cristoforo, Woodall, Walton, Winegard, and Eichler.
2024 Draft Class
Of course, front and center for Windsor rookies is their new shiny toy, Ethan Belchetz. Get ready Spitfire fans to witness a 6-foot-5, 220-pound 16-year-old who can skate and make high-end plays. He's going to be fun to track and watch all year long.
Related: Spitfires First Overall Pick Ethan Belchetz Wears #61 and Models His Game After Rick Nash
Belchetz is accompanied by five other members from Windsor's 2024 draft class on their preseason roster:
C, Jean-Christoph Lemieux - 2nd round, 22nd overall
RHD, Carter Hicks - 2nd round, 24th overall
LW, Max Brocklehurst - 3rd round, 57th overall
G, Jake Windbiel - 7th round, 124th overall
C, Ethan Garden - 9th round, 164th overall
Two older rookies made the preseason roster and both had a taste of what the OHL was like last year — Nathan Gaymes and Kyler Morgan.
Gaymes recently signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the team. The Brampton, Ontario native made his debut against Flint on Mar. 1, 2024, and scored that game. He was selected 286th overall in the last round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. Another inspiring story where hard work pays off.
Morgan went undrafted in the OHL and made his debut against Sudbury on Jan. 13, 2024. The 19-year-old forward from Kitchener played three games for the Spitfires last year.
Goaltenders
Tim Cornett/OHL Images
In the crease, there isn't much of a fight. Joey Costanzo is their guy but needs to show that he can be or else the team could be in the market for a goalie.
The backup role will be decided between 18-year-old Carter Froggett and 16-year-old Jake Windbiel. Interesting note, Windbiel beat out Windsor's first overall selection in the 2024 U18 Draft, Michael Newlove, who was reassigned by the team a few days ago.
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