With the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) common season lower than every week away, the Windsor Spitfires have a basic crease jam. It’s going to be a focus over their last preseason weekend and there are not any assured spots.
Final season, the Spitfires allowed 360 targets in 68 video games, essentially the most within the OHL, all the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and essentially the most within the group since they allowed 379 in 70 video games in 1983-84. It was a mix of a really inexperienced defence plus shaky goaltending. Quick ahead to now and modifications could also be coming to the crease. They’ve three goaltenders remaining in camp who may all earn a spot. It’s making life difficult for common supervisor Invoice Bowler. Let’s have a look at every goaltender.
3. Veteran Joey Costanzo
Acquired from the Niagara IceDogs in September, 2022, the now-19-year-old Joey Costanzo must be the clear-cut favorite. Nevertheless, that’s not essentially the case.
In 2022-23, Costanzo, then 17, joined 20-year-old Mathias Onuska as a tandem. In 40 video games, he sported a 3.03 goals-against common (GAA) and a .901 save share (SV%) and every little thing gave the impression to be okay. Sadly, the first-seeded membership misplaced within the first spherical to the eighth-seeded Kitchener Rangers, making a whirlwind of frustration across the workforce.
Costanzo got here into 2023-24 with excessive expectations. Sadly, he had a really uncooked defence in entrance of him with 4 of the seven regulars combining for fewer than 15 OHL video games performed. The consequence was merely dangerous – a 5.09 GAA and .855 SV% in 39 video games. It was a mix of the inexperienced defence and Costanzo having extra off nights than anybody was used to. Nevertheless, now he has an opportunity to get redemption.
He enters 2024-25 with one thing to show. Everybody is aware of he’s higher than his stats confirmed final season however he has to again that up, too. He’s solely performed 40 minutes throughout the preseason, permitting 5 targets on 26 photographs in an eventual win over the Sarnia Sting on Tues., Sept. 17. His defence didn’t do him any favours however he’s doubtless hungry for extra. This weekend shall be a golden likelihood for him to indicate he’s not backing down from the starter’s function.
2. Rookie Carter Froggett
Every now and then, you get a participant in camp who has “he deserves a shot” written throughout him. This season, that’s the 18-year-old Carter Froggett.
The Spitfires’ sixth-round choose in 2022 has had fairly a journey. In 2022-23, he made an incredible impression at camp however the workforce felt he wanted to play as usually as potential. They despatched him to the London Knights Underneath-18 AAA the place he bought into 20 video games. That adopted with one other strong displaying on the 2023-24 Spitfires’ camp. A spot appeared potential however, as an alternative, the workforce went with Costanzo and back-up Ian Michelone, 19. Luckily, Froggett joined the London Nationals’ Junior B the place he had a 2.64 GAA and .914 SV% in 25 video games. He additionally bought known as as much as the Spitfires when Costanzo couldn’t play and didn’t look misplaced.
We quick ahead to this season and Froggett is raring to indicate he’s worthy of lastly getting a spot. He got here into camp at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, displaying he’s placing within the work from his 6-foot-2, 186-pound draft measurements and he’s not trying to go wherever. Via 60 minutes (essentially the most of any Spitfires’ goaltender), he has a 3.00 GAA and .875 SV%. He has appeared poised, assured, and athletic, displaying he not solely needs a spot, however deserves one.
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On this last weekend, he’s more likely to get loads of ice for that last push. It gained’t be straightforward for anybody to persuade Bowler that Costanzo may be nudged out of the starter’s function however Froggett goes to present it his greatest. If anybody in camp has deserved it, it’s him.
1. Rookie Jake Windbiel
The Spitfires are very excessive on 16-year-old Jake Windbiel. Drafted within the seventh spherical in April, he comes marketed as a highly-touted, athletic goaltender who’s uncooked however has a limitless ceiling. We’re getting a small style of that proper now.
Final season, the Elk Grove Village, Illinois native performed for the Chicago Mission 15U AAA workforce. The NCAA was an possibility however Bowler satisfied him that the OHL was one of the best route for him. Now he’s right here and making a reliable case for a spot.
Windbiel appeared comfy throughout Could’s draft orientation weekend and got here into this season’s camp prepared to indicate he may grasp with the older guys. Thus far, it’s been mission completed. In 50 minutes, he has a 2.38 GAA and .926 SV%. He makes use of his massive body to create points for shooters and his agility is spectacular for an enormous man. He’s additionally making it tough on Bowler as 16-year-olds don’t usually make the roster, even after strong preseasons (see Froggett for instance.) It’s making a goaltending jam that’s considerably bittersweet for the group.
It must be famous they’ve 17-year-old Michael Newlove nonetheless listed on their preseason roster however he has since been taking part in for the Georgetown Raiders (Ontario Junior A).
The Spitfires have two last preseason video games left. They play the Flint Firebirds on Thursday night on the Vollmer Advanced in LaSalle, simply West of Windsor. On Saturday, they tackle the Niagara IceDogs in Lakeshore, which is simply East of Windsor. They’re dwelling to the Spitfires’ Junior B and C associates, respectively. Their common season begins Wednesday, Sept. 25 on the highway once they meet the Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit.
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