The Puck fell in the 2025-26 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season. For the Windsor Spitfires there is a lot of promise, but also stories to concentrate in early going.
Last season the Spitfires won their third West Division title in four seasons. Despite the loss of overtime hours at the Kitchener Rangers in game 7 of their second round series, they arrive this season with a renewed energy. They know what they have and there is a goal. With two games – and two wins – they are under their belt, but they also know that there is still a long way to go. Here are five stories to focus on when they enter the first 20 games of the season.
Adjustment of Rookies
The Spitfires will probably give back different high-end veterans this season (we will talk more about that below), but one of the biggest things to pay attention to early is the development of the players in the first season.
Last season, the OHL concept class of the Club 2024 was one of the best in the history of general director Bill Bowler (the 2022 class is hard to beatIncluding Captain Liam GreenTree). They had no fewer than eight players dress for matches during the season, including the first to choose Ethan Belchetz everywhere. Now the new first -year group wants to leave their own stamp.
Included in this class are 2025 OHL Draft Picks, first-rounder Vooruit John McLaughlin, Fifth Rounder Vooruit Caden Harvey (He is a year older), plus free agent defender Jonathan Brown, 18 and 2025 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import design second round Pick Forward Beksultan Makysh.
McLaughlin already has his first assist, while Harvey has been broken down with three more. However, it has been the achievements of Makysh, that has fans canceled eyebrows. He not only got two goals in his OHL debut on Fri., September 19, but he added another in the home opener 24 hours later.
Windsor #Spitfires’Second round 2025 #Chl Import Pick F Beksultan Makysh (Kazakhstan via Boston Hockey Academy) with a goal in Saturday’s home opener in the WFCU Center. With 3G in 2GP so far it looks good. #Ohl pic.twitter.com/kikkkjns4z
– Dave Jewell (@Davewellohl) September 21, 2025
The Astana, the resident of Kazakhstan played the last two seasons for the Boston Hockey Academy. After Saturday’s game he told the media that during his time he learned about the OHL about the OHL. After some viewings he knew It was the place for him.
“My advisers helped me,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the OHL when I first came to the US. I had something like” what’s it? ” Then I started looking at it and wanted to go there … It is a more creative and offensive competition.
Nobody expects Makysh, McLaughlin or another player in the first season to dominate from start to finish. That is why this will be worth seeing. Strong starts are fun, but how are they about the first 20 games? It will be fun to see unfolding.
Return of NHL -Prasts
While the players of the first season turn to the competition, the Spitfires will look to see which players return from NHL camps.
So far, defenders Carson Woodall, Conor Walton, Wyatt Kennedy and Anthony Cristoforo have all returned from their respective NHL teams, together with Vooruit Cole Davis and goalkeeper Joey Costanzo. Bowler, head coach Greg Walters and the rest of the staff are still waiting for GreenTree (Los Angeles Kings), Jack Nesbitt (Philadelphia Flyers) and Aj Spellacy (Chicago Blackhawks).
Related: The high floor of Jack Nesbitt gives Flyers Hope, but his high ceiling will make them a competition
GreenTree and Spellacy were chosen by their NHL clubs in the NHL concept of 2024, so they will probably get a long appearance, perhaps in the regular season. Nesbitt was the flyers’ first round pick12th General, in June, so that he could stay in October. The club has had a recent history of players who make the pros early, including Forwards Wyatt Johnston (Dallas Stars) and Jean-Luc Foudy (Colorado Avalanche), so nothing is a given.
The returns can also influence the players that have lingered as depth, such as Forward Max Brocklehurst (2024 OHL Draft), Nathan Gaymes, Shawn Costello and Cole Dubowsky. Cristoforo and Kennedy Returning give the club eight OHL-ready defenders. Add the forward depth and Bowler will have to make a number of decisions.
Can Costanzo retain its fold?
During the preseason we talked about how the fold of the Spitfires would be a battle between four goalkeepers – veteran starter Joey Costanzo, 20, veteran Carter Froggett, 19, Plus Rookies Michael Newlove, 18 and Jake Windbiel, 17. It lived up to the hype.
While Costanzo went to Flyers’ camp, the other three fought for the back -uprol. Windbiel played well but needed more herbs, so he was sent to the Lasalle Vipers Junior B. Newlove and Froggett by the preseason toe and both could have pleaded for a place. Just before the season opener, the club announced that Newlove started. In Bowler’s State of the Spitfires address on the YouTube channel of the club, prior to the home opener, it was said that Froggett Was placed remotely. It is a difficult end, but at least answers a folding question.
With Newlove and Costanzo as a combination, we are now waiting to find out how long Costanzo can retain its fold. He had an excellent first half in 2024-25 and jumped to the top of most OHL goaling categories together with the veteran Jackson Parsons from Kitchener Rangers. While he thrown after Christmas, he stabbed himself and proved critics wrong with a 2.11 goals against average and .911 savings percentage in the play-offs. He could have been argued as the most valuable player of the club.
It would be fantastic to see that Costanzo returns to his playoff form and to keep the fold as long as possible. He has seen the highlights and lows of the organization and deserves that opportunity. However, if something happens, they know that Newlove is ready and able to take over.
Can the Spitfires remain healthy?
We said how important Costanzo was for the Spitfires during last season’s play -off run. One of the biggest reasons for that was the lack of healthy players from the club.
At one point during the first round they had at least eight regulars scratched Because of an injury. When someone got healthy, someone else was injured or sick and it was almost never a wave. This was on top of the multiple injuries and diseases they treated during the season.
Are that part of the game? Absolute. Do they take games into account? That cannot be denied. The club must find a way to stay healthy at the start of the season. Injuries and diseases will happen, whether coincidence of coincidence, are a sudden flu bug that hits the team or something else. If they can minimize it, it will be a nice change of pace and really help them in the rankings.
Will the early hype be justified?
Earlier in September the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) released its first top 10 rankings for the season. It gives everyone an idea of ​​the top teams in Canada.
Last season the Spitfires were as high as third, but also fell out of the ranking in the season. It is sometimes a bit of a gambling game, but also shows the trend for the team. This season the CHL placed the club in fifth place from Tuesday. From September 16, and They moved to the second On Tuesday, September 23. For the first ranking last week, Walter said that they should stay modest and focused.
“Some people didn’t have the play -offs (last season),” he said. “It’s great and an honor for the children. We have a good team that comes back. We can’t fall in love with ourselves. We have to ensure that our work ethics and our attention to detail is the same as last season.”
The rankings are nice to be part of it, but you still have to play the game in the right way. So far, with 8-1 and 4-1 victories on the Sarnia Sting and London Knights respectively, the club shows that she can handle the pressure. However, it is still very early. Can they maintain this? Nobody expects them to win 4-1 or 8-1 every night, or even win every match, period. However, expectations are higher and they want to justify the hype. It is a difficult balance, but it seems that the team seems ready to try.
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