Windsor Spitfires 2023-24 Offseason Thread (Part 3)

[Millpond]

Walters incident occurred last season after Owen Sound' northern road trip. A player on the attack and needed to receive medical attention; When a member of the staff brought this to the attention of Walters- He insisted the player remain on the bench when said member of the staff remain adamant that the player leave to get stiches- Walters and the staff member got into a heated exchange which resulted in some less than professional words spewed from Walters.

The staff member being one of the most respected in the league spoke with Owen Sound's GM & He fired him immediately after this. This was brought to the league and the suspension was handed down.

Given the Spits history with coaches & leaguewide suspensions I thought they may .

 

[OHL4Life]

It’s great to see a head coach finally signed. I hope things work out well for the team.Whats past is past. No where that I can remember has a trainer /medic had the final say over a coach. He can suggest certainly but the final decision is the coach’s. I wasn’t there and I doubt if anyone here was.Saying the trainer is well respected means experienced to me. Perhaps the player who had his lip cut could have sat on bench till the end of the period.

every trainer has say over player injuries and when to pull a player off the bench. it would be chaos otherwise

 

[Cherrydon]

Well I am not defending Walter's priot on bench incident or ever risking a players health and safety, the NHL had to place concussion protocols for example in the NHL because coaches would push the limits during competition. Physical abuse or bullying has no place ever in the game. Arguing over stitches now or after game should not be a discussion either. The real screw up seems to have been thee GM dismissing the said trainer/team dr. That is more likely why league involvement was initiated.

 

[OHL4Life]

Well I am not defending Walter's priot on bench incident or ever risking a players health and safety, the NHL had to place concussion protocols for example in the NHL because coaches would push the limits during competition. Physical abuse or bullying has no place ever in the game. Arguing over stitches now or after game should not be a discussion either. The real screw up seems to have been thee GM dismissing the said trainer/team dr. That is more likely why league involvement was initiated.

how so? Owen sound fired him due to the incident

 

[Cherrydon]

I read it from post as the employee brought it to GM and they were fired and that is when league got involved. Maybe I misunderstood the statement.

 

[OHL4Life]

I read it from post as the employee brought it to GM and they were fired and that is when league got involved. Maybe I misunderstood the statement.

the trainer is still employed, Walters was fired the next day over the incident. the league suspended him a month or so later

 

[ktownfan]

i don't care about words being exchanged between staff members. Things get heated.

I do care about not caring about the player's welfare. That is my issue.

cut lip, this was tip of the iceberg but was the definitive end to his employment there

 

[Cherrydon]

the trainer is still employed, Walters was fired the next day over the incident. the league suspended him a month or so later

Thanks for the clarification. That's a different ballgame. The team did it's do diligence as well as the league for suspending him.

 

[rve24]

It’s great to see a head coach finally signed. I hope things work out well for the team.Whats past is past. No where that I can remember has a trainer /medic had the final say over a coach. He can suggest certainly but the final decision is the coach’s. I wasn’t there and I doubt if anyone here was.Saying the trainer is well respected means experienced to me. Perhaps the player who had his lip cut could have sat on bench till the end of the period.

Actually it shouldn't be the coaches decision. The system is set up to protect the players from themselves, coaches and parents. ( many will always side on the " I wanna play, or let em play or it's no big deal, or in my day, or your taking your job to serious.... side" ) And the fact the league suspended him kinda supports that.
Been there before. If the trainer, medical support staff doesn't have autonomy the system fails the kids long term and in turn the individual organizations and league.

The most respected coaches in my experience were the ones who gave all staff the authority to perform their jobs in the moment. The discussions happened after n behind closed doors where it should be.
That single message ( if this one incident is true ) undermined the Trainers ability to do their job in that moment and moving forward if Walter's stayed.

 

[cruickshankd]

Ygytf

 

[rve24]

Ok HL ill bite. Yes id take Quennville all day long. His suspension was because he might have known about an incident, wasnt a part of it. You also know full well this isn’t isolated or Walters only issues. He apparently has a few. His resume is not one id agree to ignore indiscretions for either. Your info is always useable but your bias is just brutal dude!!

We know why. Or most do and it won't change.

I honestly it works out for the kids, parents n support staff but the optics from the outside are just brutal as pointed by many on here with much more info than I'd be privy to.

 

[Teflon]

Are you guys missing the fact there seems to be many “other” issues with walters??? Do some damn homework you guys, this guy has a laundry list of questionable behaviour as well as the final straw issue regarding the injury.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Are you guys missing the fact there seems to be many “other” issues with walters??? Do some damn homework you guys, this guy has a laundry list of questionable behaviour as well as the final straw issue regarding the injury.

Pepperidge farms remembers Bill Bowler being on the staff when the Aliu hazing incident and Mantha being ousted.

 

[DetSpitsFan]

Let’s be real here, these are still kids. Mature kids. Big kids. But kids. There needs to be coaches, staff and a team in place to make sure they stay healthy and are being taken care of. It's just a bummer with our situation last year, we're hiring a guy who had a situation himself, just last year. However, maybe that prevents him from moving on a bit, and he could be more of a long-term solution if things work out, rather than just using Windsor as a 2-3 year stepping stone.

For a coach to go against medical advice and speak as much out about it to get a year suspension is concerning..

But If you want to look at it from the other side of the … “fence” *eye roll*, and in a very non-PC way, we may have just got that "Win-At All Costs" coach a lot of people were looking for. Not to justify any of his actions as right, or even acceptable, but if getting fired due to verbal abuse of a staff member pulling a player out of the game (in the first month of the season lol), I guess he's really in this to win at whatever expense.

Yes, Owen Sound was supposed to be good last year. Then they fired their head coach 10 games in, rolled with an interim all last season, and pretty sure they let him go at seasons end if my minds serving me correctly. They were also swept by the Memorial Cup Champions (yeah yeah yeah, host team, whatever.)

 

[tomschman]

Tomorrow is the event that I am looking forward. The final piece of what appears to be a very promising draft.

As opposed to the naming of the coach, I have seen no speculation on which player will be drafted. They need a solid physical stay at home D. I would be very happy with a Sobolov type. I like a tooth rattling hard checker that makes an opponent not want to come down his side of the ice. Hopefully the player can adapt to the smaller ice quickly.

With the Russians back in the draft, it is a much deeper draft than the last couple of years.

Do they go with a 2007 to be drafted next year or an already drafted 2006?

I hope they already have a committment before he is named.

 

[OHLTG]

I haven't heard a single name as speculation so far. From what I've heard, it's being kept very tight-lipped.

 

[windsor7]

I haven't heard a single name as speculation so far. From what I've heard, it's being kept very tight-lipped.

Bowler doesn't talk well to begin with..

 

[OHLTG]

Bowler doesn't talk well to begin with..

Not everyone is a great public speaker, whether they should be or not.

 

[windsor7]

Not everyone is a great public speaker, whether they should be or not.

Excuse..

 

[punch1943]

I haven't heard a single name as speculation so far. From what I've heard, it's being kept very tight-lipped.

Where’s Warren when we need him?

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Let’s be real here, these are still kids. Mature kids. Big kids. But kids. There needs to be coaches, staff and a team in place to make sure they stay healthy and are being taken care of. It's just a bummer with our situation last year, we're hiring a guy who had a situation himself, just last year. However, maybe that prevents him from moving on a bit, and he could be more of a long-term solution if things work out, rather than just using Windsor as a 2-3 year stepping stone.

For a coach to go against medical advice and speak as much out about it to get a year suspension is concerning..

But If you want to look at it from the other side of the … “fence” *eye roll*, and in a very non-PC way, we may have just got that "Win-At All Costs" coach a lot of people were looking for. Not to justify any of his actions as right, or even acceptable, but if getting fired due to verbal abuse of a staff member pulling a player out of the game (in the first month of the season lol), I guess he's really in this to win at whatever expense.

Yes, Owen Sound was supposed to be good last year. Then they fired their head coach 10 games in, rolled with an interim all last season, and pretty sure they let him go at seasons end if my minds serving me correctly. They were also swept by the Memorial Cup Champions (yeah yeah yeah, host team, whatever.)

I guess people here for years you gotta do right by the player. Walters certainly wasn't doing that in this instance. Winning at all costs can have different connotations though whether it's coaching every game until the final whistle, benching players for lazy plays etc...

Bowler says he will bring more accountability he hired Jarrod Smith and I have no doubt it was a shot at him. Torres and Newbury are still here. Bowler talks about the track record of Walters. Other than his 1st year he has been declining. I think most GMs get to hire a coach or two. He's on his 3rd now. Clock should be ticking for him.

 

[OHLTG]

Where’s Warren when we need him?

Come 11:15am or so, we'll be just fine... though I do miss his candidness.

 

[Teflon]

If we wanna do history, BB was one of 3 accused of some sexual abuse back when he was playing here. His resume isnt to shiny either!! His treatment of some people while here has been terrible at best. His hockey peers dont like him…..yet hes still employed!

 

[Knownothing]

I'm not sure what to think about all of this. A players' health is paramount. Walters knows he messed up, took accountability, and is insistent that it'll never happen again. That's what people want to hear. Is it reality? That's to be determined. The impression I got is that he's happy to be coaching again, relieved that the suspension is done, and wants to move forward with this club. He said the things you'd expect - hard working, tough, defensive, good young group to work with, potential, all that stuff. It's great on paper but it has to translate into action now and he knows that. Nobody wants to relive last season; they require stability behind the bench. This HAS to be a long-term, controversy-free rein. If it's not, Bowler and Walters are both done. I think the term I used earlier was "cautiously optimistic" and, for now, I'll stick with that. I'm not sold that this is the right move, not by any stretch, but I'm willing to let it play out for the time being before getting out my pitchfork.

As if you have any say or influence on it anyway.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

If we wanna do history, BB was one of 3 accused of some sexual abuse back when he was playing here. His resume isnt to shiny either!! His treatment of some people while here has been terrible at best. His hockey peers dont like him…..yet hes still employed!

Exactly and nobody has to be condemned for their mistakes but at some point it becomes a talking point. He got his flowers for signing 6 08s and it has merit. That doesn't mean it's a win. You still have to develop those players and make them NHL picks. Some people are still reminiscing about 2021-2022. Abraham is the only players left. You're at a full cycle now. Based upon how Bowler was talking he's going to make some moves. Whether he's that confident in this group or he's fighting for his job we don't know.