[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

The Windsor Spitfires have tumbled down the standings this season, going from 3rd best in the OHL in 2022-23, and 1st in goals-scored, all the way down to 18th overall currently in 2023-24, and 12th in goals-for. They lost Head Coach Marc Savard, who was replaced by Jerrod Smith to start this season- but Smith was fired and replaced by current interim coach Casey Torres after winning only 4 games in their first 21 games. Gone are some big names, like Matt Maggio (who scored 111 pts, and was a First-Team All-Star), Alex Christopoulos, Shane Wright, and Brett Harrison, amongst others. D Rodwin Dionicio only played only 16 games this season, before being traded to Saginaw. The Spits have suffered, and so has the season of draft-eligible RHD, Anthony Cristoforo. In 2022-23, he made the Second All-Rookie Team, with 41 points in 63 games, but with 33 points in 50 games so far this year, he's on pace to put up only 45 in 67 this season, which would show no progression at all. He currently leads the Spits in scoring from the blueline by 13, over the departed Dionicio, so it's not like he has a dynamic supporting cast to give him any help. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he only managed 2 points in 5 games, finding ice-time hard to come by, and looking ineffective for the most part.

Cristoforo is a highly mobile offensive defenseman, who jumps into the rush, and plays aggressively in the attacking zone. He's an excellent skater, who can back defenders off with his speed, and elude checks with his smooth edgework. He quarterbacks the PP, but keeps it simple, dishing it off to teammates in shooting position, or those in high danger- he only has 2 goals via the PP the last 2 seasons. His vision and IQ are excellent, and he sees the ice very well, threading the needle with accuracy, while moving at top speed. He's a high-end playmaker, who makes good decisions consistently, and uses layers of deception to manipulate attackers. Cristoforo has a good shot with accuracy, but needs to improve it's velocity and power, although shooting isn't a big part of his game, but rather, another vessel to make plays- he gets the puck on net mostly to create opportunities for teammates around the net. In exiting the zone, he keeps his outlets simple, but can carry it out through transition, while spearheading the rush. Defensively, he lacks the strength to outmuscle opponents, and doesn't really play a physical game. Still, he has shown success defending the rush and breaking up the cycle using his preventative awareness, and his proactive positioning, combined with an active stick to block lanes, and separate his man from the puck.

Cristoforo was recieving some first-round buzz earlier this season, but his numbers have not progressed like they were expected to, which has something to do with his team's struggles, and perhaps the instability behind the scenes in Windsor. He simply doesn't have the same swagger or confidence, and he's playing a little more conservatively without the supporting cast he had last season. He's forcing plays, and is lacking poise with the puck at times- being pressured into making mistakes. Defensively, he has been knocked for a lack of compete, and the absence of a physical game- he sometimes coasts on the backcheck, and often cheats for offense. Still, this is a player who has plenty of upside, and could potentially develop into a bottom-4 defenseman in the NHL, with PP duties- but he needs time to round out his game, get stronger, and further develop his shot. I'm thinking round 3 or 4.