Spitfires lose road game 3-2 to Steelheads
Windsor drops close one to Steelheads as GM keeps tight-lipped on potential deals
MISSISSAUGA Windsor Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel is used to the heat of an approaching Ontario Hockey League trade deadline.
Wearing two hats for the club as an assistant coach while head coach Trevor Letowski is away at the world junior hockey championship, Rychel is still adjusting to life behind the bench.
When it comes to his duties as general manager, Rychel, who is in his 12th season, rolls with the rumours leading up to the Jan. 10 deadline.
“This time of year, there are a lot of rumours,” Rychel said before his team’s 3-2 loss to the Mississauga Steelheads on Friday before a crowd of 3,033 at the Hershey Centre. “I’ve heard a lot of rumours myself today.”
He’s already dealt away veterans Aaron Luchuk, Logan Stanley and Hayden McCool as part of the team’s rebuild after winning the Memorial Cup in May.
However, Rychel has been tied to a potential blockbuster deal with the Kingston Frontenacs in recent days that has Gabriel Vilardi and Sean Day heading east in return for rookie centre Cody Morgan and multiple draft picks.
“There are all kinds of rumours,” Rychel said before Friday’s game. “We’re not the only team involved in that and I can’t comment on rumours right now. Nothing’s done or finalized as of right now.
“I’ve talked to 15 teams (Friday). There’s nothing done right now. Right now, I’m getting ready to play.”
Vilardi was supposed to return to action from a back injury on Thursday, but Rychel said he was still not ready to play.
Day has been scratched the past two days due to an illness, according to Rychel.
Kingston was off Friday, but Morgan was in the lineup on Thursday. If he is indeed involved in the trade, that could be what is holding up an announcement. Morgan was Kingston’s first-round pick in April’s OHL Draft and clubs only have a 10-day window to deal this past year’s first-round pick. The first day to do that is Jan. 1.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on,” Rychel said. “We have guys on our team that other teams covet, Memorial Cup champions, world junior players from years past, good players and good overage players.
“I’m just trying to put the pieces together around it, but I can’t really comment about rumours. I’m just concentrating on our new couple of games before the new year. I’m really happy about our play the last couple of games and want to keep it going. Our young guys are playing good.”
Friday marked just the second loss in regulation in the last 11 games for the Spitfires and players don’t seem concerned with any trade talk involving the team.
“If it happens, it happens,” Spitfires second-year forward Tyler Angle said. “You’re upset when people leave, but it’s the same expectations when you come to the rink.”
It was a strong start for the Spitfires, with Kirill Kozhevnikov putting Windsor up 1-0 with the lone goal of the opening period. But Windsor ran into penalty problems that allowed the Steelheads to rally.
Windsor took six straight minor penalties and the Steelheads got power-play goals from Nicolas Hague and Trent Fox to go up 2-1.
Cole Purboo got Windsor even after 40 minutes with a goal in the final minute, but after firing 13 shots on goal in the opening period the Spitfires had just 10 shots over the final two periods.
Nicholas Canade netted the winner with just under five minutes to play, and the Spitfires could not rally for the equalizer.