Windsor Spitfires 2023-24 Offseason Thread (Part 3)

[Savard18]

He produced in the USHL, seems to have transitioned well to NA hockey, and Washington likes him. I don't care if he's slow compared to Spellacy. If he produces like he has in the past, and develops into the NHL player Washington thinks he can be, then it'll be good.

If he produced in the USHL he’ll produce in the O too.

 

[windsor7]

NHL teams draft projects with frequency.

Or shall I say frequently

Not saying it won’t work out but at #3 should be a slam dunk player

No guarantee ever.
But better be slam dunk at that pick..

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Seems to me that Protas might be a project and not quite the quality of player expected from a 3rd overall pick. Big gap between he and Griden and seems less than just a consolation pick. Time will tell. Not a confidence booster when you read “lumbering”, heavy boots, lacks advantage of speed.

I think he may take some time. His brother in his rookie year was on a stacked team that won the WHL. They have 4 NHL regulars as well as his brother and the CHL goalie of the year. I imagine the Spits are probably expecting him to be a top 6 guy asap.

 

[Savard18]

And he did trade Oliver Peer and Roberto Mancini to Flint for 7 draft picks at the trade deadline and Flint was dispatched in 4 from the playoffs your GM has that on his resume

Not by an 8 seed. Only Bill Bowler has that on his resume.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Not by an 8 seed. Only Bill Bowler has that on his resume.

 

[hockeylegend11]

Not by an 8 seed. Only Bill Bowler has that on his resume.

Number of draft picks given up to win the same number of games as Windsor did this year in the playoffs by Flint -0 is not a good look.

 

[FiveHoleo]

Well, he also made you dissapear for two playoffs and a season, so there’s that on his resume too.

I love how crusties get so upset that I didn't bother to entertain their doom posts last year. It's almost as if they are offended by their irrelevance to me. Don't forget Bowler was at the front of the bus when Downie went Lord of the Flies and he was also accused of sexual assault along with Jovanovski and Evans back when he played. Am I missing anything? Oh, that's right. Got the team 1 game from the memorial cup when nobody thought the team was any good and engineered a rebuild afterwards that is the envy of the league. Cool, glad we sorted that out.

 

[windsor7]

Number of draft picks given up to win the same number of games as Windsor did this year in the playoffs by Flint -0 is not a good look.

Playoffs??

 

[OHL4Life]

I love how crusties get so upset that I didn't bother to entertain their doom posts last year. It's almost as if they are offended by their irrelevance to me. Don't forget Bowler was at the front of the bus when Downie went Lord of the Flies and he was also accused of sexual assault along with Jovanovski and Evans back when he played. Am I missing anything? Oh, that's right. Got the team 1 game from the memorial cup when nobody thought the team was any good and engineered a rebuild afterwards that is the envy of the league. Cool, glad we sorted that out.

no disrespect at all, but your icon matches exactly what i think youd doing when you post, well done.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Talk about size.
Greentree 6'2
Martin 6'4
Nesbitt 6'4
Spellacy 6'3
Belchetz 6'4
Protas 6'4
Walton 6'3
Winegard 6'6


F - 8
Greentree, Abraham, Spellacy, Nesbitt, Belchetz, Morneau, Protas, Davis
(Outwater, Martin, Greenwell, Lemeiux, Brockelhurst, Garden to fill 4 Spots)

D - 4
Christoforo, Woodall, Eichler, Walton
(Winegard, Hicks, Manzo, Lavigne to fill 2 Spots)

G -
Costanzo
(Froggett, Windbiel)

Anyone I'm missing? I'd assume Outwater and Martin are in, just because of our other options being a high quantity of 08's. I'd expect Winegard back as well, if nothing else because of the size they're building around, but I don't really seem him with OA potential and could see one of the younger options taking a spot, even if it's not filled with an OA.

One thing I find interesting is people talk about how Walters may pan out because he's win at all costs. Well that's fine but then Bowler needs to have hard discussions and possibly make the hard choices.

For example Bowler stuck with Struthers the whole year and he wasn't very good. Some thought he brought intangibles. I hope people understand talent still matters and regardless of your intangibles you still need to play. Greenwell played 40+ games and wasn't productive either.

Still believe and it's playing out this way until we see otherwise you can't cover up all the holes in 1 offseason. They're addressing the forwards but it's still the same D returning just one year older. A few of those D are 5th and 6th D. If you want to win large you need an elite OHL D to do it.

London had Bonk, Dickinson and a couple more NHL draft picks
Saginaw won the Memorial Cup and had Parekh

When Windsor lost to Hamilton they had Staios, Grushnikov, Xekajh

To date Bowler has had 1 D drafted by an NHL team and that was Dionicio. Maybe Hicks turns into that but that will take a couple years. Until the D is addressed there are still going to be struggles. Bowler will probably address that via trade but that costs more in assets than it does addressing it in the draft. Of the D that played last year and have eligibility how many of them are 20mpg guys.

Eichler
Cristoforo
Walton
Woodall
Manzo
Lavigne
Winegard
Hjelholt

Maybe 1 or 2 of them at best currently. Maybe Manzo can but that will still take a lot of time.

 

[OHL 17]

Add Evans to the list.

 

[tomschman]

NHL teams draft projects with frequency.

Or shall I say frequently

Not saying it won’t work out but at #3 should be a slam dunk player

A project for an NHL team is often a near superstar in the OHL. Look at the player banners hanging at the WFCU. All were superstars in the OHL, but some had no success at the NHL level.

 

[Savard18]

Number of draft picks given up to win the same number of games as Windsor did this year in the playoffs by Flint -0 is not a good look.

Trading for a one-dimensional mediocre player like Peer was a mistake. I said it then. I’ll say it now, because I’m actually capable of criticizing my team’s organization. I’m an adult and not a cheerleader for anything and everything the org does. The thing is they basically went even with picks at the trade deadline and got beat by a #1 seed. Not really that bad a look. Did you see headlines across the globe about it? No. Trading picks for Wright, Harrison etc and getting swept by an #8 seed? Now that is a historical level bad look and every hockey fan on the planet knows about it. I know you like to try to compare Windsor to London and view them as the Spitfires peer but they’re not. That’s why your grasping at straws as you argue with a Flint fan. Right now under Bill Bowler let’s place the Spitfires with their actual peer group which would consist of teams that haven’t won a playoff game in two years. That would be a list of only Windsor, Niagara and Owen Sound. There’s a great arena (one of my favorites) and fanbase in Windsor and the franchise will be fine long-term but being a cheerleader as Bowler completely fails in back to back seasons isn’t gonna get them back there any faster. As far as your friend there claiming people are envious of the Spitfires rebuild that hasn’t even truly begun yet? No. If anybody is envious of a rebuild it’s Peterborough’s or Hamilton’s or Brampton’s. Two of those teams actually hung banners before their rebuild and have a ton of proven young talent and picks.

 

[OHLTG]

Add Evans to the list.

I don't believe he's signed with the Spitfires.

Trading for a one-dimensional mediocre player like Peer was a mistake.

One dimensional mediocre player? 37 goals and 80 points with speed to burn is "mediocre"? Sorry, that comes across as trying to be bitter for the debate.

 

[TheGremlin]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808923770058592504

 

[OHLTG]

I just came on to post that. He played in the WHL, along with some minor pro teams, but has coached at UMichigan, the Plymouth Whalers, and the Flint Firebirds (until 2017). He's a 50yr old Windsor native.

 

[hockeylegend11]

I don't believe he's signed with the Spitfires.



One dimensional mediocre player? 37 goals and 80 points with speed to burn is "mediocre"? Sorry, that comes across as trying to be bitter for the debate.

Regarding Evans he has not been signed by Windsor
Re your last comment regarding mediocre your are correct ,it was crasping at straws by someone who likes to throw shade instead of being respectful when on another teams site.

 

[OHL4Life]

Regarding Evans he has not been signed by Windsor
Re your last comment regarding mediocre your are correct ,it was crasping at straws by someone who likes to throw shade instead of being respectful when on another teams site.

all i can say is lol to this.

this website is your entire life isnt it.

 

[windsor7]

I don't believe he's signed with the Spitfires.



One dimensional mediocre player? 37 goals and 80 points with speed to burn is "mediocre"? Sorry, that comes across as trying to be bitter for the debate.

No defence.
Barely came past center.
Shifts too long.

 

[TheGremlin]

I just came on to post that. He played in the WHL, along with some minor pro teams, but has coached at UMichigan, the Plymouth Whalers, and the Flint Firebirds (until 2017). He's a 50yr old Windsor native.

Any idea what he has been doing since 2017?

 

[hockeylegend11]

Any idea what he has been doing since 2017?

Owning his own goaltending teaching school and still does.

 

[windsor7]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808923770058592504

Hopefully he straighten out the debacle Windsor has gone thru.
Though nothing on defense ends been fixed..

 

[OHL 17]

Stan did a very good job in Plymouth!...a good addition

 

[OHL4Life]

stans a good guy

 

[Knownothing]

Agree fully. He was good in Plymouth and developed some talented goalies. Great hire