Plenty of ex-spits in the NHL
Windsor hockey fans can find a local hero to cheer for almost every night of season
Three short seasons after raising the Memorial Cup to end his junior career as a member of the Windsor Spitfires in 2017, defenceman Mikhail Sergachev hoisted the Stanley Cup as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As the puck drops on a new NHL season, the 22-year-old Sergachev carries a new three-year deal for US$14.4 million with the Lightning and bragging rights with former Spitfires and those with ties to Windsor and Essex County.
Local fans will find plenty of local connections to cheer for, with more than 20 of the teams battling for this year's Stanley Cup featuring someone with ties to the area.
Here's a look at what's ahead for them.
In the newly aligned West Division, Windsor native and former Spitfires defenceman Cam Fowler begins his 11th season with the Anaheim Ducks, where he'll be joined by centre Adam Henrique, a former Windsor teammate, who starts his 11th season in the NHL.
Fowler, who was a first-round pick by the Spitfires in 2009, was part of Windsor's first Memorial Cup championship team with Henrique, who returned for a second title in 2011.
The division will also see former Spitfires forward Christian Fischer begin his fourth NHL season with the Arizona Coyotes, while goalie Philipp Grubauer, who won a Memorial Cup with the Spitfires in 2011, enters his third season with the Colorado Avalanche.
Centre Gabriel Vilardi, who was a Memorial Cup all-star in 2017, hopes to put his injury woes behind him in his first full season with the Los Angeles Kings.
The two head coaches that combined for the three Memorial Cup titles in Windsor join forces with the San Jose Sharks. Bob Boughner, who guided the team to titles in 2010 and 2011, starts his first full season as head coach with Rocky Thompson, who orchestrated the 2017 title, joining Boughner's staff as an associate coach.
Peter Deboer, who was replaced by Boughner in San Jose, begins his first full season as head coach of the Vegas Knights, while former Spitfire Steve Ott, who is from Stoney Point, begins his fourth season as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues, who won the Stanley Cup in 2019.
In the East Division, Tecumseh's Jack Studnicka is set to open the season on the wing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand with the Boston Bruins after getting in two games with the team last season.
Former Spitfires forward Taylor Hall, the only player to win consecutive Memorial Cup MVP awards, starts his first season with his fourth club after signing a one-year deal for US$8 million with the Buffalo Sabres, while former Spitfires forward Brendan Lemieux begins his third season with the New York Rangers.
Forward Josh Bailey missed a Memorial Cup run with the Spitfires in 2010 after cracking the New York Islanders roster, and he's still there and preparing to start his 13th season with the club, already having appeared in more than 900 games. Windsor native Matt Martin, in his second tour with the Islanders, has more than 700 career games under his belt as the forward begins his 10th season.
Former Spitfires general manager Jim Rutherford, who built the club's first OHL championship team in 1988, begins his seventh season as GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins, while former Spitfires forward Richard Panik enters his ninth season and is now with his fifth team after signing with the Washington Capitals.
In the North Division, Lasalle native and former Spitfires forward Zack Kassian enters his 10th NHL season and sixth with the Edmonton Oilers, who have also added former Windsor defenceman Slater Koekkoek to the roster. As well, former Spitfire Keith Gretzky enters his fifth season as Edmonton's assistant general manager.
It's been four decades since Claude Julien donned a Spitfires jersey, but the 60-year-old is set to enter the fifth season of his second tour as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
Centre Logan Brown, who won a Memorial Cup in Windsor in 2017, will try to land a full-time role with the Ottawa Senators this season after getting into 29 games last season. The club also added former Spitfires forward Austin Watson in free agency.
Former Spitfires captain and coach D.J. Smith enters his second season as head coach with former Windsor associate coach Bob Jones on his staff along with Evan Mathias, who is working as video co-ordinator.
Defenceman Jalen Chatfield, who was co-captain of the 2017 Memorial Cup team in Windsor, is still with the Vancouver Canucks, while Amherstburg native and former Spitfires goalie Mikey Dipietro is on Vancouver's taxi squad.
Paul Maurice enters his eighth season as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets.
In the Central Division, Belle River blue-liner Aaron Ekblad is now an alternate captain with the Florida Panthers. The 24-year-old former first overall pick could reach 500 NHL games this season. Behind the bench, Windsor native and former Spitfires defenceman Joel Quenneville enters his second season with the Panthers. In nearly a quarter century behind the bench in the NHL, Quenneville is second on the all-time wins list with 925 victories in more than 1,700 games.
Rounding out the local ties is former Spitfires captain Ryan Ellis, who is an alternate captain with the Nashville Predators and is set to enter his 10th season on defence with the club.