Windsor Spitfires 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 8)

[ohloutsider]

Myself if Savard leaves,I doubt Delmore or Smith get named to the head coaching job,I wouldn't be surprised if former Spit Dale Mitchell currently with Leamington Flyers for the last 2 years,34 years old gets offered the job,just coached the Flyers to the JrB championship last night vs Stratford 4-0,Delmore and and Smith would be retained and away we go.

Last 2 years D looked a little off . Not sure I'd be upset with a new D coach.

 

[TheGremlin]

IF Savard finds somewhere to go i really wish Smith and Delmore would go. IF Mitchell did want to come here he should be able to bring in who he wants to fit the style of coaching he wants to run. I always thought it was crazy how team hire head coaches but tell them who assistants will be.

Last 2 years D looked a little off . Not sure I'd be upset with a new D coach.

I totally agree. Very hard to win championships if you can’t play D.

 

[hockeylegend11]

IF Savard finds somewhere to go i really wish Smith and Delmore would go. IF Mitchell did want to come here he should be able to bring in who he wants to fit the style of coaching he wants to run. I always thought it was crazy how team hire head coaches but tell them who assistants will be.


I totally agree. Very hard to win championships if you can’t play D.

If currentl assistant coaches all 3 of them have multi year deals left on their contracts and Savard leaves,talking about Smith,Delmore and Leighton I doubt Windsor will want to have them on the books, and 2 of Mitchell 's coaches are 23 and 29 years old,too young in my view for OHL,while Leighton's latest goalie pupil Costanzo finished in the top 5 in both goals against and save percentage for the regular season and the youngest in the league to register his numbers.
I would be surprised if any of the coaches moved on unless they wished too.
As for defense they won last year's conference championship with solid goaltending from both Medina 2.01 and Onuska 2.77 as well as solid d and offense.
My view defense is a team game not just the D.

 

[OHLTG]

Just for the record - Wellwood was 24 when he joined the Oshawa Generals as an assistant and 28 when he became the Firebirds' head coach. Nemisz was 25 when he joined the Gens, too. McFarland was 27 when he came into the O. DJ Smith was 28 when he got behind the Windsor bench.

I realize these may be the exception but...

That said, I don't see Delmore/Smith/Leighton going anywhere right now, barring an opportunity they can't pass up.

 

[TheGremlin]

If currentl assistant coaches all 3 of them have multi year deals left on their contracts and Savard leaves,talking about Smith,Delmore and Leighton I doubt Windsor will want to have them on the books, and 2 of Mitchell 's coaches are 23 and 29 years old,too young in my view for OHL,while Leighton's latest goalie pupil Costanzo finished in the top 5 in both goals against and save percentage for the regular season and the youngest in the league to register his numbers.
I would be surprised if any of the coaches moved on unless they wished too.
As for defense they won last year's conference championship with solid goaltending from both Medina 2.01 and Onuska 2.77 as well as solid d and offense.
My view defense is a team game not just the D.

They win conference but not ohl title and this year playoffs was an embarrassment. Defence wins. No where did i blame it on D. Bad defence is usually a system thing and not coaching to the players strengths.
I’d keep Leighton. His job is to make the goalies better. He doesn’t run the D out much else. He has done a fine job so far.
I also didn’t mean Mitchell bringing his assistants. He has been around and I’m sure he knows alot of people. Just saying if there is some out there that share in his vision he should be allowed to bring them in instead of trying to make the ones there but into his vision.

 

[windsor7]

If currentl assistant coaches all 3 of them have multi year deals left on their contracts and Savard leaves,talking about Smith,Delmore and Leighton I doubt Windsor will want to have them on the books, and 2 of Mitchell 's coaches are 23 and 29 years old,too young in my view for OHL,while Leighton's latest goalie pupil Costanzo finished in the top 5 in both goals against and save percentage for the regular season and the youngest in the league to register his numbers.
I would be surprised if any of the coaches moved on unless they wished too.
As for defense they won last year's conference championship with solid goaltending from both Medina 2.01 and Onuska 2.77 as well as solid d and offense.
My view defense is a team game not just the D.

Defense has been terrible last few years...

 

[punch1943]

Defense has been terrible last few years...

Defensemen are no longer the defensemen that old timers remember. Hockey started changing when the NHL went from 6-12 teams and salaries jumped. Teams are no longer teams but refer to themselves as “groups”. The young players who play defense try to emulate the guys making the big $$. and those are the guys who put up the points. OHL teams these days tend to carry 4/6 offensive D-men…it’s no wonder that scores are higher.

 

[bobber]

Defensemen are no longer the defensemen that old timers remember. Hockey started changing when the NHL went from 6-12 teams and salaries jumped. Teams are no longer teams but refer to themselves as “groups”. The young players who play defense try to emulate the guys making the big $$. and those are the guys who put up the points. OHL teams these days tend to carry 4/6 offensive D-men…it’s no wonder that scores are higher.

Agree punch. When you see a good defensive defenseman today they call him a throw back to the old days. Also contracts weren't an huge item on a sports page. Hard to see how a player making 10 mil a season and living in the life style of the rich and famous can really have their heart totally into the game. I'm so old I remember Moose Vasco throwing massive hip checks on opposing players. Today they do that and fans want them imprisoned.

 

[dmead]

Agree punch. When you see a good defensive defenseman today they call him a throw back to the old days. Also contracts weren't an huge item on a sports page. Hard to see how a player making 10 mil a season and living in the life style of the rich and famous can really have their heart totally into the game. I'm so old I remember Moose Vasco throwing massive hip checks on opposing players. Today they do that and fans want them imprisoned.

Moose Vasco...OMG I havent heard that name in forever.

The Hip Check... now that was an art form

 

[windsor7]

London wins game 1..

 

[punch1943]

Moose Vasco...OMG I havent heard that name in forever.

The Hip Check... now that was an art form

Moose Vasko…long long time ago…D partner was Pontius Pilate if I remember correctly .

 

[OHLTG]

Maggio wins Red Tilson Trophy for Most Outstanding Player.

 

[punch1943]

Officially the off season now for my Buds as well as the Spits. Since I ‘m too old for golf my off season consists of dreaming of how both my teams can improve for next year. Strange how both squads are so similar…..all offense - no defense. (little in the way of draft choices).

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Officially the off season now for my Buds as well as the Spits. Since I ‘m too old for golf my off season consists of dreaming of how both my teams can improve for next year. Strange how both squads are so similar…..all offense - no defense. (little in the way of draft choices).

If the Spits were a top 5 team defensively like the Leafs were this year the Spits would still be playing imo.

 

[windsor7]

If the Spits were a top 5 team defensively like the Leafs were this year the Spits would still be playing imo.

Better coaching would do wonders..

 

[OHLTG]

Like I told a buddy last night (re Leafs) - yes, it's frustrating but, when you have 100 shots combined through 75ish minutes and just four goals, it's a heckuva game. Florida beat Boston and Toronto so they can't be all that bad.

 

[Cherrydon]

If the Spits were a top 5 team defensively like the Leafs were this year the Spits would still be playing imo.

I think Punch was referring to the lack of offense compared to regular season. Yes our defense was bad unlike the leafs but just like the Leafs 2 goals for a game will not win you a series in any league .

 

[windsor7]

Like I told a buddy last night (re Leafs) - yes, it's frustrating but, when you have 100 shots combined through 75ish minutes and just four goals, it's a heckuva game. Florida beat Boston and Toronto so they can't be all that bad.

Leafs winning the 1st round was their Stanley cup...

 

[Teflon]

Ive said this in my group for some time. The laffs and spits are built very similar. Lots of stats, lots of reg season offence, few heart and soul guys, even less grit, huge lack of guys willing to do what it takes in the playoffs and a lack of size. Dubas i believe gets fired. Same fate id hoped for BB. The more i hear about how he treats some folks the more i think im right too. This is on our head scout too, unless all picks a decided by the GM. Soft players will not get it done in the playoffs and as ive said numerous times i want playoff/cup success i frankly could care less about the reg season. I guess we see if hes learned his lesson or not because i isnt going anywhere it seems!

 

[Cherrydon]

Ive said this in my group for some time. The laffs and spits are built very similar. Lots of stats, lots of reg season offence, few heart and soul guys, even less grit, huge lack of guys willing to do what it takes in the playoffs and a lack of size. Dubas i believe gets fired. Same fate id hoped for BB. The more i hear about how he treats some folks the more i think im right too. This is on our head scout too, unless all picks a decided by the GM. Soft players will not get it done in the playoffs and as ive said numerous times i want playoff/cup success i frankly could care less about the reg season. I guess we see if hes learned his lesson or not because i isnt going anywhere it seems!

Agree with everything Teflon with some reservations with Bowler. Did he try to give the fans a championship? Absolutely. Playing style is on the coaching staff more than the GM. Savard is more at fault than Bowler he was tunnel visioned all year offense at all costs and didn't change game plans nor did they have an alternative style of play. That's on Savard as he is supposed to be in charge of the room and day to day philosophy of play. Wright played a 2 way game and was still arguably their best player post season. Maggio highly decorated and maybe hurting was nonexistent.m aka Mathews and Marner

 

[windsor7]

Agree with everything Teflon with some reservations with Bowler. Did he try to give the fans a championship? Absolutely. Playing style is on the coaching staff more than the GM. Savard is more at fault than Bowler he was tunnel visioned all year offense at all costs and didn't change game plans nor did they have an alternative style of play. That's on Savard as he is supposed to be in charge of the room and day to day philosophy of play. Wright played a 2 way game and was still arguably their best player post season. Maggio highly decorated and maybe hurting was nonexistent.m aka Mathews and Marner

Maggio pretty much a ghost..

 

[OHLTG]

Strangely, Maggio averaged almost exactly the same shots per game in the playoffs as he did in the regular season (roughly 4.75). The effort was there.

 

[windsor7]

Strangely, Maggio averaged almost exactly the same shots per game in the playoffs as he did in the regular season (roughly 4.75). The effort was there.

Production matters..
Wasn't much.

 

[Teflon]

Agree with everything Teflon with some reservations with Bowler. Did he try to give the fans a championship? Absolutely. Playing style is on the coaching staff more than the GM. Savard is more at fault than Bowler he was tunnel visioned all year offense at all costs and didn't change game plans nor did they have an alternative style of play. That's on Savard as he is supposed to be in charge of the room and day to day philosophy of play. Wright played a 2 way game and was still arguably their best player post season. Maggio highly decorated and maybe hurting was nonexistent.m aka Mathews and Marner

I disagree somewhat. Coaches cant coach grit or toughness, its either in you or it isnt. Soft players don’t typically change because of coaching.

 

[Cherrydon]

I disagree somewhat. Coaches cant coach grit or toughness, its either in you or it isnt. Soft players don’t typically change because of coaching.

That is true Teflon. Players either have grit or not. That is on Bowler. I just don't know if Savard would play that style if he did have the gritty players in the tool shed. Even on an offensive minded team, players still need to get to the dirty areas and win puck battles with a dominant forcheck in the o-zone.