Spitfires Deal Macdougall To Otters For Draft Picks
Second-year player will get more ice time playing for Erie Otters, GM Rychel says
Another roster subtraction on Wednesday means the Windsor Spitfires will be buyers prior to Thursday’s Ontario Hockey League trade deadline at noon. Windsor’s roster is now down to 19 players after a late Wednesday trade that sent second-year forward Mathew MacDougall to the Erie Otters for a trio of OHL Draft picks. The Spitfires will receive Erie’s fourth-round pick in 2022, Erie’s fifth-round pick in 2021 and Sault Ste. Marie’s sixth-round pick in 2021.
“We acquired some picks and I think he’ll get an opportunity to play more there this season and next year,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said. “Mathew ’s a great kid from a great family and I wanted to put him in a good place.”
A former third-round pick by the Barrie Colts, the five-foot-nine, 171-pound MacDougall did not report and was traded to Windsor prior to the 2017-18 season for a 14th-round pick in 2018 and a fourth-round pick in 2020.
On a rebuilding Windsor squad, MacDougall posted decent numbers in his rookie season with 17 goals and 32 points in 66 games. However, he has just nine goals and 17 points in 40 games this season. Along with the picks, one league official pointed out that the Otters will assume the full-ride education designation that MacDougall received when he signed with Windsor. “Obviously, it’s a little tough at first,” MacDougall said of the deal. “I think Windsor has been a great team for me to start with and I have been able to develop into the player I am right now. It was a first-class organization in every area. Obviously, now I have to be able to move on to keep playing my game in Erie.”
With the departure of MacDougall, who turns 19 later this month, the Spitfires are one player under the league’s 20-man roster limit. That includes centre Chris Playfair, who head coach Trevor Letowski was hopeful would return to the lineup on Thursday against Flint after being sidelined since Nov. 24 with a concussion. Rychel, who has traded MacDougall, goaltender Mikey DiPietro and forward Cody Morgan while releasing defenceman Lev Starikov, will now look to add to the roster on Thursday. “Hopefully, I’ll add a depth forward,” Rychel said. “I don’t think it’ll be a blockbuster, but I want to get some depth up front to finish the year.” Rychel attempted to add a third overage player to the roster before Wednesday’s overage noon deadline, but was unable to do so. “It’s OK, it just means more opportunity for the kids to play. It won’t cut into their ice time.” Instead, the club will finish the season with just two overagers in forward Chase Campbell, who was signed last week, and defenceman Sean Allen, who was acquired earlier this season from Oshawa. Meanwhile, MacDougall’s departure leaves the club with just 11 forwards and six defencemen and Rychel said he would ideally like to be at 13 forwards and seven defenceman, but the club does have third-round pick Dylan Robinson playing junior B in LaSalle and available.
“We could use a little depth in case of an injury,” Rychel said. “We have a couple of call-ups, obviously, but I’ll be looking for a depth guy if it comes down to it for sure.” Rychel has added several picks in the deals for DiPietro, Morgan and MacDougall and could use them to add to his young roster base. “Crazier things have happened,” Rychel said. “I’ll be on the phone and see what’s out there to improve our club maybe in the future and today.
“I’m always open to helping our club get better. If it makes sense, whatever player it is, if it’s an upgrade on our players or it makes sense for the future when we’re trying to win again, I’ll look at it for sure.”
It has already been a wild leadup to Thursday ’s deadline with the Guelph Storm, Saginaw Spirit and London Knights buying in big to challenge for a Western Conference title. The Ottawa 67’s and Niagara IceDogs have done the same in the Eastern Conference along with, to a lesser extent, the Sudbury Wolves.
“Maybe it’s a good year to take a step back,” Rychel said. “There’s a lot of teams all in. There’s a lot of good hockey teams. Do I want to make playoffs? Sure, but I’m glad we’re not in that race this year. It’s a good year to step back and watch the kids grow and develop on and off the ice.”
Six other OHL trades took place on Wednesday with Kingsville’s Eric Henderson and two draft picks being sent to Hamilton by Oshawa for defenceman Nicolas Mattinen.
The blockbuster deal of the day saw Guelph acquire Nick Suzuki, Sean Durzi and Zachary Roberts from Owen Sound for rookie Mark Woolley, Barret Kirwin and Zach Poirier, three draft picks and another conditional pick. Sudbury acquired forward Adam Ruzicka from Sarnia for three draft picks. Barrie sent Lucas Chiodo to Ottawa for the rights to Shaw Boomhower and two draft picks; London sent Sergey Popov to Owen Sound for a draft pick and Oshawa traded defenceman Joseph Rupoli to Kitchener for a pick.