The 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season is on the horizon. On Tuesday morning, the Windsor Spitfires introduced their 2024 Coaching Camp schedule as they give the impression of being to place final season behind them.
After back-to-back Western Convention common season titles from 2021-23, the staff fell laborious final season, ending second final within the league. There was nothing fairly about it however there have been silver linings. They wound up with the first-overall decide within the 2024 OHL Draft plus a excessive decide within the 2024 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. Mix these with a number of excessive OHL draft picks due to common supervisor Invoice Bowler and the offseason has been what the staff wanted. Now, the brand new gamers are set to hitch the returnees because the group appears to show final season was nothing greater than a velocity bump.
Spitfires’ 2024 Coaching Camp Schedule
On Tuesday morning, the long-awaited announcement got here. The Spitfires will open their 2024 Coaching Camp on Thurs., Aug. 29 on the WFCU Centre. It would embrace practices and scrimmages earlier than the annual Blue vs. White recreation to complete every little thing up. Right here is the official schedule (topic to alter):
Thurs., Aug. 29:
- 5:00 p.m. – Observe – Group Purple
- 6:00 p.m. – Observe – Group White
- 7:00 p.m. – Observe – Group Blue
Fri., Aug. 30:
- 9:00 a.m. – Scrimmage – Group White vs Group Blue
- 10:15 a.m. – Scrimmage – Group White vs Group Purple
- 11:30 a.m. – Scrimmage – Group Blue vs Group Purple
- 5:00 p.m. – Scrimmage – Group White vs Group Purple
- 6:15 p.m. – Scrimmage – Group Purple vs Group Blue
- 7:30 p.m. – Scrimmage – Group Blue vs Group White
Sat., Aug. 31:
- 9:00 a.m. – Expertise – Group White
- 10:15 a.m. – Expertise – Group Blue
- 4:00 p.m. – Annual Blue-White Recreation
All the scrimmages, video games, and abilities, together with the Blue vs. White recreation, are freed from cost and open to the general public.
In whole, 29 forwards, 15 defencemen, and 7 goaltenders will participate in hopes of impressing Bowler, new head coach Greg Walters, and the remainder of the Spitfires’ employees. Whereas some will get a short look earlier than heading to their respective Junior A or B golf equipment, others could stick round for preseason and even the common season.
Associated: Windsor Spitfires Title Greg Walters New Head Coach
Among the many attendees are 2024 first-overall decide ahead Ethan Belchetz, captain ahead Liam Greentree (Los Angeles Kings), 2024 CHL Import decide and Washington Capitals’ prospect ahead Ilya Protas, latest defensive veteran Tnias Mathurin, veteran goaltender Joey Costanzo, and highly-touted 2024 decide goaltender Jake Windbiel. One identify that’s not listed is veteran ahead Colton Smith. He was eligible to take one of many three overage (20-year-old) spots this season however, with forwards Ryan Abraham and Noah Morneau already penciled in, and Mathurin becoming a member of earlier this month, Smith was the odd man out.
2024-25 Preseason Schedule
Following the Blue vs. White Recreation, the staff will get began on the preseason. This season is somewhat totally different because the membership brings the Essex County area into the fold.
They open up the preseason at residence on Fri., Sept. 6 after they tackle the Sarnia Sting at 7:05 p.m. on the WFCU Centre. After that, they head down I-75 in Michigan for a Sunday afternoon recreation towards the Flint Firebirds. Following a couple of days of apply, they hit the street once more, this time to face the Sting on Sept. 17 at 7:05 p.m.
During the last a number of seasons, OHL groups have gone into their surrounding suburbs and communities for preseason video games, bringing the OHL to the followers. The Spitfires are becoming a member of that development this season. On Thurs., Sept. 19, the membership will host the Firebirds on the Vollmer Advanced in LaSalle (residence of their Junior B affiliate, the Vipers) with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Two days later, on Sat., Sept. 21, the staff goes to the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre in Lakeshore (Junior C’s Canadiens) to welcome the Niagara IceDogs to city for a 7:05 p.m. recreation. That concludes the preseason schedule.
The 2024-25 common season will get going a couple of days later when the Spitfires journey to Saginaw on Wed., Sept. 25 to face the Memorial Cup Champion Spirit within the OHL opener. They’ll additionally face the Sting on the street on Fri., Sept. 27. The Spitfires’ own residence opener is on Sat., Sept. 28 at 7:05 p.m. after they face the Kitchener Rangers. Tickets for all the preseason video games are actually obtainable on the Spitfires’ web site. Common season tickets go on sale on Sat., Aug. 24 at 10 a.m.
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