Windsor Spitfires 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 7)

[OHLTG]

Is it cliche to say acquiring Wright was the wrong move?

Maybe in hindsight but I'm not sold on it yet.

 

[windsor7]

Whats funny???

Typical

 

[TheGremlin]

London was decimated by injuries last year. Brochu was playing hurt.

This isn’t anywhere close to the same circumstances.

Y’all just choked.

And at least London got to game 7

 

[FiveHoleo]

Ok then, I guess the correct answer was Medina afterall. Go figure!

 

[Section5Petes]

Apologies, looks like Hagholm is who I thought Hennig was.

Still awful screaming play by play. Lol

Best of Luck to the rangers the rest of the way

Just like the Sudbury guy yelling. Almost blew out my speakers game 3/4 lol

 

[190 is almost 206]

Just like the Sudbury guy yelling. Almost blew out my speakers game 3/4 lol

The fella for Hamilton yells a lot too.

 

[Section5Petes]

The fella for Hamilton yells a lot too.

Omg don’t even get me started on Reed Duthie

 

[ip4982s]

You're not going to fire Savard; he's done wonders for this organization. Yes, this series has been horrible and frustrating to watch but that's not Savard, it's the players... AND the Rangers. Credit given where it's due. They've been insanely good.

Leaders matter. Accountability too. Blew it on decisions to go all in. Backfired. Build versus buy (especially when you give away your entire future for nothing in return). In any business the leader must be held accountable.

Felt bad for Maggio in interview. This will always be attached as negative mark to otherwise amazing year. Onuska lost but he again had to defend net because defense failed except skilled rookie Cristoforo and Renwick who I think played pretty good tonight. Christopolous and Maggio played hard but Constantini was a fortress. No one else visible. Unbelievable how NFL draft choices and players we traded so much for are invisible throughout this series. Will hurt us for years. Ticket prices lowered perhaps?

And, due credit, Kitchener played great and never let up. Constantini is really good and always steps up in playoffs.

See everyone in August. (Well maybe not everyone )

 

[DetSpitsFan]

I think he’s on his way to that label for the rest of his life though. He looks “good”. You can’t be a #4 overall pick and be just “good” and not get that label. I just don’t see him being more than a mediocre 2nd line C in the NHL and this kind of stuff can have a pretty negative impact on a kid’s psyche. Maybe he gets sent back to the O next year haha.

The dream of that phone call…

“Heyyyyy Saginaw….”

 

[ip4982s]

Someone needs to take the hit. You’re the 1st #1 seed in history to be swept. We have no draft picks , emptiest cupboard in the league. Next few seasons will be ugly. Couldn’t even win a game, these guys are a pathetic embarrassment.

Accountability at the top matters. He couldn’t motivate these boys or himself to figure out a better coaching strategy in this pivotal game. Maggio had weight on shoulders. He’s captain I get it but savard’s interview after third game showed he didn’t get that he owned a lot of this and really needed to rethink entire strategy bc nothing was working. If he was NHL coach as top seed and got swept in FIRST round, there would be accountability. No doubt. Just saying.

 

[Travis Bickle 77]

My goodness. Weak defense

All season long sadly

 

[ip4982s]

Pretty simple, gut the team.

Recoup whatever assets you can and rebuild around either ‘06’s and ‘07’s or ‘07’s and ‘08’s.

Great. So now we demoralize the 06s by telling them that they are as expendable as the other trades of all 05s. “Development” doesn’t mean much in this league if you keep trading them for the future. But I get your point that Windsor gave up everything for this so they don’t have a lot to give to rebuild quickly. Total waste.

 

[Travis Bickle 77]

You're not going to fire Savard; he's done wonders for this organization. Yes, this series has been horrible and frustrating to watch but that's not Savard, it's the players... AND the Rangers. Credit given where it's due. They've been insanely good.

Sorry OHLTG.... cannot agree with you on this. I have said it since preseason....Savard & Company's lack of defense and reliable goaltending will be the Spitfires demise this season.....it's been blatantly obvious all season and the coaching staff was so oblivious to addressing it early in the season.....right till getting swept by an 8th seed team in the playoffs. Spitfires defense is so bad it must have had Kitchener coaching staff frothing from the mouth. Kitchener did 1000% what they were supposed to do.......and let's be honest as knowledgeable hockey people......if Kitchener shuts down Windsor's offensive entries.....has a forward motion of defense against Windsor.....it's easy work.

 

[DetSpitsFan]

I feel for Maggio. Had a phenomenal season, and Kitchener knew him shut down would stop this team.
The concern was way earlier than Game 3 for me. The shutout in Game 2, after getting upset in Game 1 was the concern.

Did we forget the Spits got boo’d off home ice the last 5 minutes of Game 2?

I wouldn’t want to come back for game 5 either

Something definitely has to change after that, and it’s hard to put the blame on a single player.

Both goalies I thought had a decent series. For the amount of opportunities Kitchener had, the tendies made some big stops.

Defense broke down only when they were forced to push because we were chasing the game. FIVE minutes of the lead through 240minutes of hockey.

Offense dried up. Given the cost, I expected more from Wright and Harrison.

Credit due to Kitchener. Played a smart series, made very very few mistakes in throughout. Almost played perfect hockey. Costantini had a great series too, although the defense in front of him prevented him from seeing the quantity of Grade A chances that Onuska and Costanzo saw.

I still think Costantini is a pretty average OHL goalie. I put him in the same boat as Lennox, while guys like Brochu/Gaudreau/DiVincentis are those guys that are a level up.

 

[Travis Bickle 77]

He played well this series. Definitely going to leave a stain on his reputation. But this is on the coaches.

I don't know....I agree and don't agree with you. The players need to be held to the fire too! Maggio & Wright were pretty blatant saying that the Spits are not playing playoff hockey, they lack drive, they lack finding that extra gear. That says a ton when the captain and assistant captain literally don't hold back during a live broadcast interview. This shit show performance is universally a collective shitting of the bed.

 

[KyGuy9]

Bowler took an overachieving team and put his entire hopes and dreams into them and from top down management to coaches to players dropped the ball. This was never the core to go all-in with. The ones with that dog in them (WJ, Cuylle) that single-handedly carried them to the finals are gone, the playoff pretenders that were supposed to carry this year's group (outside of Christopoulos) remained. This team was never built to sustain a prolonged run, too many holes even with going all in, paid way too much for their '03 deadline acquisitions especially Holmes. Niagara trade was and still is great and what they should have been looking to do. I said at the deadline I wished they had gone the Mississauga route and taken advantage of other teams overpaying with high-end talent to build around the '06 core. Nick Lardis or Van Volsen would look damn good in a Spits jersey with Miedema/Joey and the '06s. Would have won a couple of playoff games too. Who knows if the high-end '06 group will even have the pieces around them to make a run in a few seasons. This season's decisions will result in a multi-year fumble. There has to be consequences for this.

 

[ip4982s]

Onuska is trash. Was last season and is this season. There was no last year ditch Medina. That's are pathetic delusional coach. some former players should not be a coach and he is one of them. Also Bowler is getting paid to do nothing. Lack luster management. Everyone in the world could see our teams flaws and weaknesses all season but this guy couldn't? Should have made no moves rather them go full offense and not trade for a goalie?, trade part of our future away but didnt upgrade our teams weaknesses, Pathetic, no professionals running this team, just a bunch of people with there heads to big going with their personal agenda. Onuska isnt a OHL goalie. His GAA And save percentage isnt even acceptable for a bottom dwelling team in this league. Pathetic management. Someone needs to be accountable.

I totally agree we should have gotten a top goalie but I’d have voted for more defense too. We had enough forwards who had talent. I also agree on personal agenda. No development in savard. Door opener for goal scorers. No real chemistry on this team and it seemed to start after the short lived excitement of the trades. Just like the fans, players seemed to get that deals weren’t all they were billed to be. And I bet that affects them on and off the ice. If it’s a business, then we have to recognize we made a bad deal with Harrison, Castle, and Wright. Bad business and coaching decisions all around. I’m sure savard had a big say in decisions and he got what he wanted. He just couldn’t coach them to success. Isn’t that what a GREAT coach does?

 

[KyGuy9]

Coulson Pitre would have won us the series

 

[ip4982s]

Petes fan here -This is not an embarrassment.
You had a great season and played fantastic hockey all year. Your players have given everything they had to their teammates and their fans.

Anything can happen in junior hockey and anything can happen in the playoffs-that’s just what happened.
That’s all -your players are still great lads. However disappointed you are these young lads feel worse.
Be proud of the season they gave you -

Do ❤ this. Good points. These boys are young lads. They are heartbroken I’m sure. Long ride back to Windsor.

 

[Travis Bickle 77]

I know I am going to take some shit for this opinion....that said I am going to state my opinion no matter what! ..............So many people are going to shit on Shane Wright....say he is a bust etc. .....Guess what? Spitfires defense was a complete joke before Shane Wright was acquired. A ton of people don't like Shane Wright since he was drafted by Seattle. Yes he did stare down the Montreal Canadians @ the draft last year.....why? ....well put yourself in his shoes. Say you spend 3 days of talking to the Montreal Canadians brass.....with them telling you ....you are their pick.....come draft day and they pick someone else....wanting to go to a Canadian team was his dream. Shane Wright looks at their table when he is picked by Seattle...and not one can look you in the eye.... sorry I don't blame him. Anyhow....let's look at Shane Wrights point production with the Spits.... really impressive #'s. Spitfire fans act like he is a 70 goal scorer!! That's not his game!! Universal is the best way to describe Shane Wrights game. I actually thought Shane Wright worked a ton harder than most on this Spitfire team. ....but hey....I guess it's most his fault right? ....

 

[TheGremlin]

I know I am going to take some shit for this opinion....that said I am going to state my opinion no matter what! ..............So many people are going to shit on Shane Wright....say he is a bust etc. .....Guess what? Spitfires defense was a complete joke before Shane Wright was acquired. A ton of people don't like Shane Wright since he was drafted by Seattle. Yes he did stare down the Montreal Canadians @ the draft last year.....why? ....well put yourself in his shoes. Say you spend 3 days of talking to the Montreal Canadians brass.....with them telling you ....you are their pick.....come draft day and they pick someone else....wanting to go to a Canadian team was his dream. Shane Wright looks at their table when he is picked by Seattle...and not one can look you in the eye.... sorry I don't blame him. Anyhow....let's look at Shane Wrights point production with the Spits.... really impressive #'s. Spitfire fans act like he is a 70 goal scorer!! That's not his game!! Universal is the best way to describe Shane Wrights game. I actually thought Shane Wright worked a ton harder than most on this Spitfire team. ....but hey....I guess it's most his fault right? ....

Some games down the stretch he was sometime our best defensive player. That’s something that shouldn’t happen on a championship caliber team.

 

[ip4982s]

Some games down the stretch he was sometime our best defensive player. That’s something that shouldn’t happen on a championship caliber team.

You make fair points. He is an talented player. He just was not worth the cost of his acquisition in the end. But I don’t recall many fans griping when it happened. Was the first packed house in a while at his first game in a spits jersey. But I just am a bigger fan of build than buy in development league. Trade for clear gaps like in the D. But Windsor critique that coaches didn’t focus on the D is true unfortunately and it cost them.

 

[spits]

Savard needs to be dismissed simple as that. Just look at his comments after game 3. He thought they played good. He never changed a thing regarding strategies, d-zone coverage etc. How about bringing in Leamington Flyers HC Dale Mitchell. He has that team unbeatable. A former player and might bring some real coaching to the organization.

This here was a fan base killer. Fans were starting to fill the building with regularity, and you get swept. We have zero, yes, ZERO , 2nd's 3rd's and 1 4th round pick in the next four years. Gonna have to trade Maillet, Cristopolous, Peer, Dionicio, and more to get those picks back.

 

[Travis Bickle 77]

Some games down the stretch he was sometime our best defensive player. That’s something that shouldn’t happen on a championship caliber team.

Exactly!! Seen it many times post trade deadline...like many others. But....you just know Shane Wright is going to take the brunt from this. Everybody is gonna need a finger to point at....and because Shane Wright is Shane Wright....he will be the first to point at. Savard is 2nd......don't know what will happen with his situation.....but I know one thing!! We live in a soft easily offended society that coddles anyone 0-25 years old.....so unfortunately blame on the players themselves might not be implicated or God forbid even mentioned as a major factor. No drive, no fired up presence....but let's not mention that as the main factor. God forbid

 

[spits]

Exactly!! Seen it many times post trade deadline...like many others. But....you just know Shane Wright is going to take the brunt from this. Everybody is gonna need a finger to point at....and because Shane Wright is Shane Wright....he will be the first to point at. Savard is 2nd......don't know what will happen with his situation.....but I know one thing!! We live in a soft easily offended society that coddles anyone 0-25 years old.....so unfortunately blame on the players themselves might not be implicated or God forbid even mentioned as a major factor. No drive, no fired up presence....but let's not mention that as the main factor. God forbid

Wasn't all on Wright, but he did literally nothing in games 2-4. Completely invisible. The same can be said for the entire team though. Maggio was invisible as well. What the heck happened to Maggio? Harrison was a bust. All those picks traded for literally nothing. The team wasn't even close to being competitive. Outscored 20-8 or something in the series. That right there was the worst display of hockey in franchise history. Hopefully, ownership cleans house, get rid of the entire coaching staff.