With the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) common season lower than every week away, the Windsor Spitfires have a basic crease jam. It’s going to be a focus over their last preseason weekend and there are not any assured spots.
Final season, the Spitfires allowed 360 objectives in 68 video games, probably the most within the OHL, your entire Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and probably the most within the group since they allowed 379 in 70 video games in 1983-84. It was a mix of a really inexperienced defence plus shaky goaltending. Quick ahead to now and modifications could also be coming to the crease. They’ve three goaltenders remaining in camp who might all earn a spot. It’s making life difficult for normal supervisor Invoice Bowler. Let’s take a look at every goaltender.
3. Veteran Joey Costanzo
Acquired from the Niagara IceDogs in September, 2022, the now-19-year-old Joey Costanzo must be the clear-cut favorite. Nevertheless, that’s not essentially the case.
In 2022-23, Costanzo, then 17, joined 20-year-old Mathias Onuska as a tandem. In 40 video games, he sported a 3.03 goals-against common (GAA) and a .901 save share (SV%) and all the things gave the impression to be okay. Sadly, the first-seeded membership misplaced within the first spherical to the eighth-seeded Kitchener Rangers, making a whirlwind of frustration across the group.
Costanzo got here into 2023-24 with excessive expectations. Sadly, he had a really uncooked defence in entrance of him with 4 of the seven regulars combining for fewer than 15 OHL video games performed. The consequence was merely unhealthy – a 5.09 GAA and .855 SV% in 39 video games. It was a mix of the inexperienced defence and Costanzo having extra off nights than anybody was used to. Nevertheless, now he has an opportunity to get redemption.
He enters 2024-25 with one thing to show. Everybody is aware of he’s higher than his stats confirmed final season however he has to again that up, too. He’s solely performed 40 minutes through the preseason, permitting 5 objectives on 26 pictures in an eventual win over the Sarnia Sting on Tues., Sept. 17. His defence didn’t do him any favours however he’s seemingly hungry for extra. This weekend will likely be a golden likelihood for him to point out he’s not backing down from the starter’s position.
2. Rookie Carter Froggett
Once in a while, you get a participant in camp who has “he deserves a shot” written throughout him. This season, that’s the 18-year-old Carter Froggett.
The Spitfires’ sixth-round decide in 2022 has had fairly a journey. In 2022-23, he made an important impression at camp however the group felt he wanted to play as typically as potential. They despatched him to the London Knights Beneath-18 AAA the place he obtained into 20 video games. That adopted with one other stable exhibiting on the 2023-24 Spitfires’ camp. A spot appeared potential however, as an alternative, the group went with Costanzo and back-up Ian Michelone, 19. Fortuitously, Froggett joined the London Nationals’ Junior B the place he had a 2.64 GAA and .914 SV% in 25 video games. He additionally obtained known as as much as the Spitfires when Costanzo couldn’t play and didn’t look misplaced.
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We quick ahead to this season and Froggett is raring to point out he’s worthy of lastly getting a spot. He got here into camp at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, exhibiting he’s placing within the work from his 6-foot-2, 186-pound draft measurements and he’s not trying to go anyplace. Via 60 minutes (probably the most of any Spitfires’ goaltender), he has a 3.00 GAA and .875 SV%. He has regarded poised, assured, and athletic, exhibiting he not solely needs a spot, however deserves one.
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On this last weekend, he’s prone to get loads of ice for that last push. It received’t be simple for anybody to persuade Bowler that Costanzo will be nudged out of the starter’s position however Froggett goes to provide it his greatest. If anybody in camp has deserved it, it’s him.
1. Rookie Jake Windbiel
The Spitfires are very excessive on 16-year-old Jake Windbiel. Drafted within the seventh spherical in April, he comes marketed as a highly-touted, athletic goaltender who’s uncooked however has a limitless ceiling. We’re getting a small style of that proper now.
Final season, the Elk Grove Village, Illinois native performed for the Chicago Mission 15U AAA group. The NCAA was an choice however Bowler satisfied him that the OHL was the most effective route for him. Now he’s right here and making a professional case for a spot.
Windbiel regarded snug throughout Could’s draft orientation weekend and got here into this season’s camp prepared to point out he might dangle with the older guys. To this point, it’s been mission achieved. In 50 minutes, he has a 2.38 GAA and .926 SV%. He makes use of his massive body to create points for shooters and his agility is spectacular for a giant man. He’s additionally making it troublesome on Bowler as 16-year-olds don’t typically make the roster, even after stable preseasons (see Froggett for instance.) It’s making a goaltending jam that’s considerably bittersweet for the group.
It must be famous they’ve 17-year-old Michael Newlove nonetheless listed on their preseason roster however he has since been taking part in for the Georgetown Raiders (Ontario Junior A).
The Spitfires have two last preseason video games left. They play the Flint Firebirds on Thursday night on the Vollmer Complicated in LaSalle, simply West of Windsor. On Saturday, they tackle the Niagara IceDogs in Lakeshore, which is simply East of Windsor. They’re residence to the Spitfires’ Junior B and C associates, respectively. Their common season begins Wednesday, Sept. 25 on the highway once they meet the Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit.
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