Spitfires sign defenceman picked in 2015 draft
17-year-old defenceman Stevenson chooses to play in Windsor rather than go to NCAA
Defenceman Thomas Stevenson could be considered a late bloomer, but he’s arriving at just the right time for the Windsor Spitfires.
A 10th-round pick by the Spitfires in the 2015 OHL Draft, the club announced Wednesday it has signed the 17-year-old Stevenson to a standard hockey and education package.
“I’m very excited,” said Stevenson, from Orleans. “It’s something every kid wants. They want to play at the highest level. This opportunity, to play in the OHL, is huge. It’s hard to put into words.”
The 6-2, 190-pound Stevenson won’t turn 18 until Oct. 14, which means he is not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2018.
“The kid’s come a long way, both from a physical stature and mental ability, to play since we drafted him,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said. “(Ottawa-area scout) Mike Glover did a good job of monitoring him. He had some NCAA interest and I’m glad he chose to further his development, on and off the ice, in Windsor.”
Stevenson is now the seventh of 13 picks by the Spitfires from that 2015 draft to be signed in the OHL, joining Gabriel Vilardi, Mike DiPietro, Kyle Auger, Cole Carter, Luke Boka and Cole Purboo.
“I was trying to look at everything and all the factors,” Stevenson said of what hockey path to choose. “A lot of people gave me advice, but I decided, if I want to succeed at a higher level, this was the way to go. I was talking to (NCAA) schools, but playing in the OHL is a big thing.”
Stevenson was the No. 1 pick overall in the Central Canada Hockey League Draft in 2014. He was selected by the Cumberland grads, but credits a trade to the Ottawa Junior Senators this season with playing a huge role in his development.
“I really liked the coaches with the junior Senators,” Stevenson said of head coach Martin Dagenais, and assistants Jamie Mayo and Francis Wathier. “They did end up becoming a huge part of my development and a huge part of why I’m signing with Windsor.
“Really focusing on my defence and coach (Wathier) was really technical and had me playing a certain way and tight on my man. I think that was something the guys in Windsor noticed.”
Stevenson finished the season with two goals and 14 points in 54 games with 30 penalty minutes.
“I’m more of a two-way guy,” Stevenson said. “I can skate and I play hard in the (defensive) zone. I’m not an offensive guy, but I can jump into the rush and attack.”
The Spitfires have already signed two defencemen from this year’s draft in first-round pick Nathan Staios and fifth-round pick Louka Henault, but Rychel said there’s room for Stevenson.
“There are a lot of defencemen we could lose,” Rychel said. “Chatty (Jalen Chatfield) is gone, (Sean) Day, I expect, will start in the AHL and Sergey (Mikhail Sergachev) has a good chance to make Montreal’s lineup.
“We have to be prepared and Stevenson’s a more mature guy that plays with pace, which is great.”