Windsor Spitfires 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 3)
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OHLTG
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Yep, DJ's contract was set to expire after this season but had a club option for next season. I won't rule him out just yet.
I seriously do not see why any former NHL Coach would come back to coach in the OHL unless he buys the team. DJ is a well-respected coach and will probably get multiple offers to be an Assistant Coach in the NHL or Head Coach in the AHL. Both gigs pay much better than Head Coach in the O.
It totally wouldn't be weird to have Savagex2 and Schwab accept DJ being fired in Ottawa and then hire him as coach in Windsor.
ohloutsider
Registered User
So some holiday boredom ramblings.
Some disappointments- coaching staff. I was all in on giving JS a chance but that was definitely a failed experiment. I wonder out loud where this team would be starting the season with a proven coaching staff. To add to this for the last couple of years the defense has been subpar at best. A lot of kids took flack for their play but I tend to think the issue was the Defensive coach. Glad he moved on.
Players that have taken a step back include Cristoforo, Maillet, Smith, Abraham, Castle, Spellacy. Now to me it seems like a lot of players struggling. Most have played better in the last few weeks. Maybe this is directly related to the paragraph above?
Goalies have been a head scratcher. Both have played really well and then they play some stinkers. Consistency has been the issue. What you see is what you get as I don’t see any changes coming on that front. They need to bear down and give the team a chance.
Some pleasant surprises- was not expecting some first year players to shine but I am impressed with Woodall and Davis. Woodall on this team is a top pairing D and Davis using his speed, tenacity and shooting skills is one of the top rookies in the league. Impressive.
Also happy with Greentree, no sophomore jinx. Just keeps improving.
Eichler and Walton have both shown improvement since the coaching change. Maybe never a top pairing duo but they look like they will develop into decent D for the Spits.
Bowler has made some good moves and some bad moves. Moving quickly to release JS was a good move. Hiring him was the bad move. Bringing in
Mancini was a good move. Trading DeAngelis the opening day of the season was a bad move.
Bowler with his CT personality is also getting in the way on the bench. He can't step back and let Torres be the head coach. I'm sure he does not attend practices so Torres will work on something all week only to have Billy start barking out orders during the games. Owen Sound announcers indicated that Bowler was doing all the coaching. Can't see Torres having any interest in staying if his role is going to be a puppet for Bowler.
Anyway this is all just my opinion, looking forwards to here others. Stay safe.
Some disappointments- coaching staff. I was all in on giving JS a chance but that was definitely a failed experiment. I wonder out loud where this team would be starting the season with a proven coaching staff. To add to this for the last couple of years the defense has been subpar at best. A lot of kids took flack for their play but I tend to think the issue was the Defensive coach. Glad he moved on.
Players that have taken a step back include Cristoforo, Maillet, Smith, Abraham, Castle, Spellacy. Now to me it seems like a lot of players struggling. Most have played better in the last few weeks. Maybe this is directly related to the paragraph above?
Goalies have been a head scratcher. Both have played really well and then they play some stinkers. Consistency has been the issue. What you see is what you get as I don’t see any changes coming on that front. They need to bear down and give the team a chance.
Some pleasant surprises- was not expecting some first year players to shine but I am impressed with Woodall and Davis. Woodall on this team is a top pairing D and Davis using his speed, tenacity and shooting skills is one of the top rookies in the league. Impressive.
Also happy with Greentree, no sophomore jinx. Just keeps improving.
Eichler and Walton have both shown improvement since the coaching change. Maybe never a top pairing duo but they look like they will develop into decent D for the Spits.
Bowler has made some good moves and some bad moves. Moving quickly to release JS was a good move. Hiring him was the bad move. Bringing in
Mancini was a good move. Trading DeAngelis the opening day of the season was a bad move.
Bowler with his CT personality is also getting in the way on the bench. He can't step back and let Torres be the head coach. I'm sure he does not attend practices so Torres will work on something all week only to have Billy start barking out orders during the games. Owen Sound announcers indicated that Bowler was doing all the coaching. Can't see Torres having any interest in staying if his role is going to be a puppet for Bowler.
Anyway this is all just my opinion, looking forwards to here others. Stay safe.
Good accurate summary. I still like the Dangelis trade based on the return but it did hurt the team as far as being more competitive. Who knows if he was truly happy with the coaching at the beginning and maybe wanted a trade.
100 percent, he can be an assistant with any nhl team he wants, probably a head coach in a the ahl, why would he want to come back to busses and 16 year olds?
I would agree with that. I guess there's an exception like Dave Cameron but DJ isn't even close to 50 yet.
when cameron came back it was years after the nhl was over. after being fired he become an assistant, which is what smith probably will do next year. more money, less kid drama, way easier travel and a staff of support people to do all the video cutting, etc.
why take less money and do more work in the ohl?
OHLTG
Registered User
Greentree currently ranked 10th overall by Hockey news for the 24 draft.. Cristoforo not in top 50. Not surprised as Greentree is improving and AC is struggling defensively.
ohloutsider
Registered User
To be fair he played better last year than he is this year. At the end of last year he was considered a top prospect. Now not so much. It is up to him to listen to coaches and scouts for what needs to be improved on and then make those changes. It could go either way at this point. I'm pulling for him to figure it out.
OHLTG
Registered User
I think it was Cristoforo who said they needed a new voice behind the bench. Now that they have one, it's time to see what he can do. We all know the potential is there.
LDN
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- Sep 29, 2017
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OHLTG
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Post-game v. the Barrie Colts - 10 minute mark during Cristoforo's part - "It's a tough one ... I think for a lot of guys, we needed a little change, a new voice behind the bench. We all kind of go out there, change a little system in our D zone, and we all like that..."
Christoforo has struggled defensively, though he was -22 in 1st 21 games played, since coaching change in the 9 games he played missed 1 due to injury he is a 0 in the plus-minus category and has 7 points 1G,6A in the same stretch, like most players since coaching change trending upward.
Not to get into a p---g match but 74 is -2 in his last 5 games and -1 over last 10 . Considering he is putting up points the reality is defensively he is struggling and his errors are grossly apparent in his coverage in front of our goalies. He was -2 against OS, -3 against the Knights with a point. So I do not see recent improvement. He definitely picked it up short term when the coaching change was made but has fallen back into his habits. He almost cost us the last game and was on the ice for 5 of London''s goals. Please explain why his primary D partner Mancini is +2 last 5 and +7 over last 10 games. 74 taking long shifts? Doesn't make sense.
Most Windsor dmen have showed improvement since coaching change not only just Christoforo.
Eichler was -10 in the 1st 21 games,in his last 10 since coaching change -3 but in his last 6 played +6
Mancini only played 3 games prior to the coaching changes in those he was -3, in the last 10 he is +7 and has really helped Christoforo along the way.
Winegard was -7 prior to coaching change since then +2 in 4 games played.
Walton was a -9 prior to change ,in the last 10 he is a 0
Woodall -3 since coaching change but a 0 in his last 5,missing 10 games to injury didn't help him
Toms was a -16 , in his games since coaching change -4 in 8 games played.
No question there has been alot of improvement from the D in the past 10 games.
Eichler was -10 in the 1st 21 games,in his last 10 since coaching change -3 but in his last 6 played +6
Mancini only played 3 games prior to the coaching changes in those he was -3, in the last 10 he is +7 and has really helped Christoforo along the way.
Winegard was -7 prior to coaching change since then +2 in 4 games played.
Walton was a -9 prior to change ,in the last 10 he is a 0
Woodall -3 since coaching change but a 0 in his last 5,missing 10 games to injury didn't help him
Toms was a -16 , in his games since coaching change -4 in 8 games played.
No question there has been alot of improvement from the D in the past 10 games.
He also came back from a knee injury though missed 1st game,London game one goal came against when he got wiped out and penalty wasn't called to start the game so I won't judge him too severely.
I will take -1 last 10 games over what he had prior to coaching change.
Absolutely agree with your assessment of all the other D. Major strides. I realize goals are scored against when you are not directly at fault but Tom's and Cristoforo's boo boo's are blatant. How is it acceptable to exit your zone ahead of 2 of your forwards when the opposition has 2 forecheckers still in your zone during 5 on 5? His super soft man to man coverage in the dirty area around the blue paint is the most concerning to me. We can bicker over this all night but at the end of the day 74 is not making improvements. He is a dog to the bone on offensive chances but does not remotely show the same intensity playing D. Maybe they should move him up front where he seems comfortable and Tom's only plays if we are short. I'll take Winegard over Toms all day long. I realize 74 is 1st round pick by the Spits but Castle was 13th overall his draft and is riding the pine.
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