While the Windsor Spitfires prepared for a busy weekend, the team got some good news on Wednesday afternoon. NHL Central Scouting released its preliminary “Players to Watch” list ahead of the 2024 Draft and four players have caught pro attention.
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It’s been a tough start to the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season for the club. They’ve struggled out of the gates with just a 2-7 record heading into this weekend. However, while there have been issues, there have also been positives, and four players getting rated before June’s draft shows the organization is trending in the right direction.
Greentree Leads the Pack
Each Fall, Central Scouting releases its first “Players to Watch” list for the upcoming draft. Players are rated as “A”, “B”, “C”, or the new “W.” It gives the public an idea of who scouts are looking at and what round you might see players drafted.
If you have an “A” rating, you’re currently projected to be a first-round pick and that’s where Spitfires’ forward Liam Greentree has landed. The 6-foot-2, 211-pound winger was the club’s second-round pick in 2022 and has had NHL attention from almost day one.
The 17-year-old uses his size to win puck battles and get into the dirty areas around the net and has a knack for finishing plays with ease. After leading all rookies last season with 25 goals in 61 games and being named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team, Greentree leads the club this season with 13 points in 10 games. While he’s trying to focus on the season and not the draft, there’s a definite confidence during every shift. He knows he has the talent but is continuously working to improve.
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The last Spitfire to be chosen in the first round was forward Wyatt Johnston who went 23rd overall to the Dallas Stars in 2021.
Spellacy, Cristoforo, and Eichler Drawing Attention
While Greentree was rated an “A”, three other Spitfires were right behind him. Defenceman Anthony Cristoforo was given a “B” rating, which is a possible second or third-round pick. The 5-foot-11, 191-pounder was the club’s first-round pick in 2022 and scored 41 points in 63 games last season, earning a spot on the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. This season, he continues his development with seven points in 10 games and increased responsibility every night.
The “C” ratings are for players who are projected to go in rounds four or five. That’s where forward A.J. Spellacy and defenceman Josef Eichler have landed. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Spellacy was the Spitfires’ third-round pick in 2022. After 17 points in 47 games last season, he got hurt during an early February game and missed the rest of the season. While he’s pointless through 10 games this season, his skating and shot are unquestioned.
Related: OHL: 5 Windsor Spitfires Breakout Candidates for 2023-24
Eichler was the Spitfires’ first-round pick, 52nd overall, in the 2023 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft out of Czechia. At 6-foot, 192 pounds, he’s a physical defenceman who’s often the first one to help a teammate. His offensive game is developing but his grit and defensive potential have perked ears.
While game skills are important, being a good person and teammate is vital to becoming a pro. It’s one area the Spitfires are happy with from all four players. On Thursday, head coach Jerrod Smith said their respect towards the city and team has been golden.
“They’re great kids that are great teammates first and foremost,” he said. “They’re respected in the room and have a voice even though they’re young players. They have great leadership traits and extremely bright futures. They care about the city and their teammates and, as their coach, that’s what I like best about them.”
Central Scouting Adds New Rating
As was mentioned above, Central Scouting also came out with a new rating this season. The “W” rating, for “Watch”, is for players who could be taken in the sixth or seventh rounds. Until now, “C” ratings have always meant rounds four-through-seven. However, NHL Central Scouting vice president Dan Marr said that it was a suggestion from clubs.
“NHL clubs provided feedback that they would prefer to have more separation with C grade prospects since there is a significant difference between a fourth- and sixth-round prospect,” Marr said in a statement. “There has been a 10-year history utilizing the PTW (Players to Watch) grading system and the timing was right to adapt and evolve to the bidding of the NHL clubs.”
While no Spitfires were given “W” ratings, 25 OHL players were given the rating. The 2024 NHL Draft is scheduled for June in Las Vegas.