Windsor Spitfires 2017-18 Season Thread (Part 1)
- Thread starter EON
- Start date
- Status
Congratulations on winning the Memorial Cup Windsor.
You played a great "4" games.
Enjoy all the celebrations.
You played a great "4" games.
Enjoy all the celebrations.
ohloutsider
Registered User
I have some stale crow in the fridge from last week - any takers?
We win 4 straight! OMG we have 3!!!!!!!!
We win 4 straight! OMG we have 3!!!!!!!!
Congrats to the Spitfires organization. 3 Mem Cups in 8 years can be considered a dynasty. Last night was incredible. I gotta say I've been to several live sporting events and last night was probably the loudest crowd and best atmosphere I've ever seen.
OHLTG
Registered User
I think "dynasty" is a tough one to use right now. Usually that goes for teams that have had consistent success throughout their championship times. Windsor's three cups had some lean years in between.
scokan
Registered User
randomhero4life
Registered User
So happy and proud of our Windsor Spitfires!! What an amazing Memorial Cup performance, 4-0 with 44 days off...Incredible!! Feeling the effects of last night's celebrations!! god bless Advil and Gatoraide!!
OHLTG
Registered User
CTV says parade Wed 6pm. Starts at Ouellette/Wyandotte, goes up Ouellette and into the Riverside Festival Plaza. There will be a "celebration" with players doing autographs and such.
I would think very few would consider this a dynasty. They earned their keep in the Memorial Cup but you need something to back this 4 games up and there wasn't much the past 6 seasons. I wouldn't even consider London what they did/done a dynasty. The closest would be Kamloops over a 12 year span they won 5 WHL titles, 6 WHL championship appearances, 3 Memorial Cups, 10 division titles, 7 seasons with 100+ points. Never eliminated in round 1 of the playoffs.
Rayzor
So after the Spits have now won the national prize,do you still not like the way they drafted,though the drafts 2015 they picked up Vilardi, Dipietro,Boka,Purboo, Sergachev,2016 no 1st rounder,trades that yielded,Knott,Day,Bracco, Laishram, Addison,along with Nother, Nattinen, Robertson,Brown,McCool,some they hit home runs on, others not so much but at the end of clearly they knew what they were doing,This team when healthy a very tough team to beat,and I think as some know the OHL mimics the NHL,and emphasis appears to be having a front line tender and a mobile puck moving defense Corp,plus the ability to play team defense, taught guys like Bracco to be 200 foot players.
What I found interesting between Erie and Windsor looking at D and goaltending, was that Windsor had 5 guys out of 7-6D and goalie,under the age of 19,Erie had 2, Erie only 1 of 7 signed to pro contracts,Cernak, Windsor 4, Day, Stanley, Sergachev, Chatfield.Despite the youth difference Windsor prevailed because they were better, defensively, special teams and goaltending, you do well in those areas success follows.
They followed the NHL model and were successful another reason why Rocky Thompson will find employment in the NHL.
Backing calls for his dismissal showed a lack of insight for what really was going on.
So after the Spits have now won the national prize,do you still not like the way they drafted,though the drafts 2015 they picked up Vilardi, Dipietro,Boka,Purboo, Sergachev,2016 no 1st rounder,trades that yielded,Knott,Day,Bracco, Laishram, Addison,along with Nother, Nattinen, Robertson,Brown,McCool,some they hit home runs on, others not so much but at the end of clearly they knew what they were doing,This team when healthy a very tough team to beat,and I think as some know the OHL mimics the NHL,and emphasis appears to be having a front line tender and a mobile puck moving defense Corp,plus the ability to play team defense, taught guys like Bracco to be 200 foot players.
What I found interesting between Erie and Windsor looking at D and goaltending, was that Windsor had 5 guys out of 7-6D and goalie,under the age of 19,Erie had 2, Erie only 1 of 7 signed to pro contracts,Cernak, Windsor 4, Day, Stanley, Sergachev, Chatfield.Despite the youth difference Windsor prevailed because they were better, defensively, special teams and goaltending, you do well in those areas success follows.
They followed the NHL model and were successful another reason why Rocky Thompson will find employment in the NHL.
Backing calls for his dismissal showed a lack of insight for what really was going on.
Nyax
Registered User
That was one hell of a Memorial Cup for the Spitfires!
Didn't think it was gonna happen after the frusterating season but whatever Rocky and the coaching staff did during the long break certainly worked. The boys left it all out there and beat three real good teams. You go 4-0 in the Mem Cup, you're a deserving champion regardless of not winning your league's title. Great job Spits!
It's gonna be an interesting offseason if the rumours of Rychel and Rocky leaving are true. Hopefully the new GM will have the same type of NHL connections as Warren did. And they can bring in a solid coach. Although I didn't always agree with Rychel's trades, I loved how active he was going all in when the team thought it could win a title. If he does leave I hope the new GM is also a big game hunter.
Didn't think it was gonna happen after the frusterating season but whatever Rocky and the coaching staff did during the long break certainly worked. The boys left it all out there and beat three real good teams. You go 4-0 in the Mem Cup, you're a deserving champion regardless of not winning your league's title. Great job Spits!It's gonna be an interesting offseason if the rumours of Rychel and Rocky leaving are true. Hopefully the new GM will have the same type of NHL connections as Warren did. And they can bring in a solid coach. Although I didn't always agree with Rychel's trades, I loved how active he was going all in when the team thought it could win a title. If he does leave I hope the new GM is also a big game hunter.
If DiPietro is not the 1st goaltender taken in the draft, I will be amazed. I expect him to add a World Junior title to his resume in January.
I really wonder how many people now want Rocky Thompson fired!
The mere discussion before was ludricrious and showed a lack of insight,a very unnecessary distraction that fortunately got zero traction outside this board.
Team Negative looks bad in this case, doubt they have the fortitude to admit they were wrong.
I would sooner wear rose coloured glasses that I have been accused of rather then blinders worn by my provocateurs.
The mere discussion before was ludricrious and showed a lack of insight,a very unnecessary distraction that fortunately got zero traction outside this board.
Team Negative looks bad in this case, doubt they have the fortitude to admit they were wrong.
I would sooner wear rose coloured glasses that I have been accused of rather then blinders worn by my provocateurs.
Of teams in existence in the 60 team CHL only 2 teams have won more Mem Cups Oshawa(5),and Regina(3) then Windsor with 3
Spits also the 1st team since Kamloops in 92,93,95 to win 3 cups in a decade,Spits did it in 9.
Spits also the 1st team since Kamloops in 92,93,95 to win 3 cups in a decade,Spits did it in 9.
Last edited:
4 Bobby ORR
Registered User
An amazing atmosphere last night and congrats to the team. I thought they would be competitive if they could get healthy, but didn't think they would win it let alone go undefeated. Looks good on those that thought the Spits would fold if behind on the score board (any more crow available).
How that Foegele goal stood is beyond me. Branch must have had the video review phone call-forwarded to his cell.
If Rychel is leaving as suggested, I would think Bill Bowler may step into those shoes.
Heard last night that a ticket went for $800US to a businessman in town.
How that Foegele goal stood is beyond me. Branch must have had the video review phone call-forwarded to his cell.
If Rychel is leaving as suggested, I would think Bill Bowler may step into those shoes.
Heard last night that a ticket went for $800US to a businessman in town.
I saw it as a good goal. He turned his skate, puck hit skate, the kicking motion was afterwards..... Therefore a good goal. You are allowed to turn your skate.
Hey they won those 4 games and won the Memorial Cup and nobody can take that away from them. Some value that tournament more than a 68 game season and playoffs. One thing is for sure I have never once posted saying "Team Rose Colored Glasses" looks bad like the past 5 seasons where they found a way to win 1 playoff game. You have made this a whole battle of desperately wanting to be right and since you have pretty much ignored the past 5 years I guess you would be right again. Can never pin you down because you always move the goalposts.
Certainly not blinders just as I am not a fan of Rocky's style there were 2 OUA players watching the game with me last night who said they don't like it either. I'm happy for your happiness because you hunting people down to show them you were right. The game is 20 hours old and you want to try and pick apart people.
This was my thought. i can see why people would think it was a kicking motion but he was kicking with his skate after the puck was gone. They weren't going to overturn the call on the ice. Just as if they ruled no goal on the ice I doubt they would have reversed that.
Canadian Game
Registered User
Congrats to the Windsor Spitfires!
I was there for the entire tournament and enjoyed every minute of it. Last night's game was definitely (and fittingly) the best of the Memorial Cup. Never been to a Memorial Cup before and now wish to do so again. Thanks for being wonderful hosts, Windsor!
I was there for the entire tournament and enjoyed every minute of it. Last night's game was definitely (and fittingly) the best of the Memorial Cup. Never been to a Memorial Cup before and now wish to do so again. Thanks for being wonderful hosts, Windsor!
IcemanTBI
Registered User
Spits
Should read 92,94,95 ,
Should have remembered 93 and the Hounds, Boughner was Captain of that team,last time a host OHl team beat another OHL team,till last night and Boughner is the owner this time
Should read 92,94,95 ,
Should have remembered 93 and the Hounds, Boughner was Captain of that team,last time a host OHl team beat another OHL team,till last night and Boughner is the owner this time
I'll bite, I'm sure you were expecting nothing less.
I was one who called for it and still stand by it based on how he handled things all season.
If he had handled the bench, game management etc all season the way he did this tournament I doubt there would have been as many frustrated fans throughout the season.
We saw two different styles of coaching and two different styles of play between the regular season and the tournament.
All season we saw a team with the offensive potential to compete against anyone while still being defensively responsible sit back and let their opponent dictate the pace of the game, especially if they had a lead.
In the tournament, except for the round robin game against Erie we saw a completely different style of play that was managed completely differently from the bench.
They dictated the pace of the game.
They played a strong offensive game.
They continued to play responsible defensively.
They didn't give their opponents many opportunities to dictate the outcome of the games.
The game plan evolved throughout the game when needed.
Very rarely did we see any of that throughout the season.
I said it throughout the season and I'll say it again, if twenty players played that way throughout the season the issue was one of two things.
Either they were not responding to the coaching which is an issue because the coach had no control over the team
Or
They were responding exactly as instructed which is an issue because it would appear the coaches struggled with how to manage in game situations and adapting to how the game developed.
What changed in the forty four days off?
Yes the team did everything they could to prepare the players but my guess is they the coaching staff/management had to see that what they had done all season wasn't working the way they expected it to.
I'm sure, along with the players the coaches received a lot of support and suggestions for improvement as well during that time as well.
Rocky may be great with systems and developing a plan which is great for an associate/assistant coach but going back to last season he showed he was unable to or not willing to adapt and evolve his in game management regardless of how well things were or were not going.
Every game it was the same, come out for the first ten minutes and see if your opponent was going to try to dictate the pace of the game.
Spend the rest of the first period trying to get a lead.
Start the second period trying to defend any push from the opponent, one man in their zone, four sitting back at their own blue line waiting to try to defend against a rush that went unchallenged until they got into their zone.
Repeat unless they were down in which case try to hang in there until the last five minutes to make a push to tie it/win it.
No offensive creativity from an offensively gifted group until this tournament.
I said it all season, if they played to their strengths like they did last night and most of this tournament, they could beat anyone but all season they tried to defend against their opponents strengths at the expense of their own.
That was coaching all season and for whatever reason we saw a completely different style this tournament.
Very happy to see them win, they earned it in the tourney but it also emphasizes what could have been this season and how disappointing it was with how the season/playoffs turned out.
Can Rocky be a good coach?
He showed in this tourney he can if he finally elevated and adapted his game management abilities but with the tourney over I don't know that I would want to see such a rigid, stay the course coach behind the bench who doesn't appear to relish having to deviate from his game plan if things aren't going as expected, especially during a couple of years of rebuilding.
Every year in junior you have a lot of turnover with a lot of unexpected factors coming into play. He may excel at a higher level where there can be more stability from year to year as far as roster make up is concerned but I don't think he has the flexibility for the constant change that short junior careers bring.
LeafsFan18
Go Leafs Go
aresknights
Registered User
He's definitely helped himself. He was already well scouted n respected by scouts. Its the same old story, size. Hell be in the top few but probly not first. Just a guess
As posted often on here, I've been a supporter since seeing him in MM and talking to kids who played with him in minor hockey. I still remember posting here on 99s draft day that Spits fans would live him.
Last edited:
OHLTG
Registered User
- Status
