Spitfires add depth in OHL under-18 draft
It's a draft that has yet to produce a star for the Windsor Spitfires.
The Ontario Hockey League's under-18 draft has existed for eight seasons, but over the years it has only provided the Spitfires with a little roster depth.
Defenceman Evan Hjelholt was the team's top pick last year and got into seven games last season with the Spitfires without recording a point.
Windsor had hoped to sign 2022 first-round pick Cameron Eke, but the defenceman opted to go the NCAA route with Niagara University.
Jackson Mcllwain, a third-round pick in 2020, got into 22 games over parts of two seasons and produced just a single point, which is the same production that 2022 thirdround pick Alec Stewart has given the Spitfires. Goalie Matt Tovell, a second-round pick in 2019, got into 10 games with the club.
No standouts, but depth for the organization at needed times. The Spitfires took another three swings in the draft on Wednesday along with the OHL'S other 19 teams.
“I think the stat is something like 41 players have played a game since the OHL started the draft eight years ago,” said Frank Evola, the Spitfires' director of scouting and hockey operations. “There's always a diamond in the rough and hopefully, we find one.”
Thanks to winning the draft lottery, the Spitfires had the first overall pick and used it to take goalie Michael Newlove from the Halton Hurricanes midgets.
“I was definitely looking at this draft,” the 17-year-old Newlove said. “I want to play in the OHL. It's been my goal for a while. An extra year's development always helps for a goalie. Every goalie improves so much. It was motivation that I saw a bunch of guys go in front of me (last year). As soon as it happened, you can't dwell on it and I looked forward to (this) year. I got on a good team with good guys and I benefited from it.”
The six-foot-two, 175-pound Newlove posted a 2.07 goalsagainst average in 21 games during the season and a 1.57 GAA in four playoff games in helping Halton reach the OMHA tournament.
“He's grown two or three inches (in the last year),” Evola said. “He's a big goalie that reads plays extremely well and takes up space in the crease. We always need depth and this is a position we feel we need to shore up.
“You look at Erie and they used eight goaltenders this past season and you never know. We wanted to address that position.”
In the second round, the Spitfires selected 16-year-old defenceman Noah Caswell, who played for the Waterloo Wolves this past season.
The five-foot-11, 175-pound Caswell was named the top defenceman at the U18 AAA Central Region championship. He also appeared in five games this past season for the Ayr Centennials.
“He's a puck-moving defenceman that plays the modern-day game,” Evola said. “He had 17 points in 33 games and was one of the catalysts on that team. He was captain of the team and leadership always helps. Kids develop at different stages and we'd like to see him go from midget to junior B next season and see where it goes.”
The Spitfires stayed closed to home with their final pick in selecting right-winger Matteo Vilardi in the third round.
“It's huge and I'm really excited and honoured to be drafted by the Spitfires,” said the 17-year-old Vilardi, who is no relation to former Spitfire first-round pick Gabriel Vilardi. “I grew up in Kingsville and I still live there and I go to (Windsor) games in the winter.”
The five-foot-11, 165-pound Vilardi helped the Sun County Panthers reach the OHL Cup a year ago, but was not drafted. He moved over this past season to play with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires Zone AAA team.
“I put a lot of work in during the summer and was motivated to get better and have a better season,” Vilardi said. “I was a little more confident with the puck and finding teammates quicker and being more elusive. Just little things I would do that I wouldn't do last year.”
He finished the season with 14 goals and 29 points in 34 games with Windsor during the regular season and added another two goals and seven points in seven playoff games.
“Just a smart, two-way player that was almost a point a game player and a point a game in playoffs,” Evola said. “He reads the play extremely well and is a responsible guy. He's more mature and got stronger and his skating's gotten better. Hopefully, he steps up to junior B next season and continues to progress.”