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Sandman · 04-09-2024, 12:53 AM

Draft Thoughts (A Favorite of Mine Edition):

It has been a tumultuous season for the Windsor Spitfires, and not just because the team finished second-worst in the OHL, after finishing third overall in 2022-23 with a Division title and scoring the most goals as a team in the league, under then-coach Marc Savard. Jerrod Smith was named Head Coach after Savard departed the organization last summer, but was promptly fired four months into the 2023-24 season with the Spits in last place, leaving interim Head Coach Casey Torres in charge for the remainder of the season. One of the players that seemed to benefit from the coaching change was RHC A.J. Spellacy, one of my personal favorites, who put up only 13 points in the first 33 games of the current season, and didn't really look like a lock to picked in the 2024 NHL Draft. In the final 34 games however, he amassed 25 points for a total of 38 points in 67 games. He had 17 in his last 20, and 10 in his last 10, to boot. Spellacy was a football star back in his native USA, playing Free Safety and Wide Reciever, and turned down five NCAA Division 1 Football scholarships to sign with Windsor, and he surely would've had more if he had stayed back home for his final two years of High School. Spellacy was one of the final cuts from the USNTDP U-17 squad, and was Windsor's 3rd-round pick in the 2022 OHL Draft. Central Scouting rated him a "C" at the start of the season, pegging him as a potential 4th, or 5th-round pick. AJ took part in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Team USA, but could only manage 1 assist in 5 games.

Spellacy is a big power-forward, standing 6'3",195lbs, and is a true athlete with the drive to succeed, but he's still quite raw. One quality of his that is well-developed is his skating, as he's one of the fastest players in this year's draft crop. For a player his size, he's an elite skater who can cover an enormous swath of ice in a short time, and creates a ton of open space and time for himself to get into prime scoring areas. He makes his impression felt physically, and has a football player's mean streak. He plays a hard-nosed style, and drives opponents nuts with his tenaciousness, but he will also drop the gloves to defend himself or teammates. Spellacy is a good two-way player, and takes pride in his defensive game. He's one of Windsor's most reliable forwards, and has the speed and the wingspan to close on opponents fast, and to be disruptive. As with most true athletes, he is highly competitive, and brings energy to his team with his relentless motor. The most prominent offensive weapon in his arsenal is his finishing skills and his shot, which is hard and heavy. He has good hands around the net, and the 1-on-1 moves to beat goalies in-tight. Fans of the Spits say that he gets 2 or 3 breakaway chances per game, and some of those must be coming in man-down situations, as Spellacy is tied for 3rd in the OHL with 5 short-handed goals, which is almost 25% of his 21 goals on the season. In transition, he's highly effective using his quick lateral mobility to move around in traffic, and his enormous wingspan that gives him tight puck-protection.

Spellacy has been rocketing up the draft charts lately, so it's safe to say that NHL scouts have taken notice of his second-half production. If he doesn't develop as a scorer, Spellacy has the tools to be a bottom-6 energy player with penalty-killing duties in the NHL someday. He needs to work on his puck-skills and his playmaking, but I think he will open eyes next year in the OHL. I would be comfortable taking him in the second round, and I could see an NHL team doing the same, but I will say third round. Watch out for this kid.

04-09-2024, 12:53 AM	#1843
Sandman Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Calgary Exp:	Draft Thoughts (A Favorite of Mine Edition): It has been a tumultuous season for the Windsor Spitfires, and not just because the team finished second-worst in the OHL, after finishing third overall in 2022-23 with a Division title and scoring the most goals as a team in the league, under then-coach Marc Savard. Jerrod Smith was named Head Coach after Savard departed the organization last summer, but was promptly fired four months into the 2023-24 season with the Spits in last place, leaving interim Head Coach Casey Torres in charge for the remainder of the season. One of the players that seemed to benefit from the coaching change was RHC A.J. Spellacy, one of my personal favorites, who put up only 13 points in the first 33 games of the current season, and didn't really look like a lock to picked in the 2024 NHL Draft. In the final 34 games however, he amassed 25 points for a total of 38 points in 67 games. He had 17 in his last 20, and 10 in his last 10, to boot. Spellacy was a football star back in his native USA, playing Free Safety and Wide Reciever, and turned down five NCAA Division 1 Football scholarships to sign with Windsor, and he surely would've had more if he had stayed back home for his final two years of High School. Spellacy was one of the final cuts from the USNTDP U-17 squad, and was Windsor's 3rd-round pick in the 2022 OHL Draft. Central Scouting rated him a "C" at the start of the season, pegging him as a potential 4th, or 5th-round pick. AJ took part in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Team USA, but could only manage 1 assist in 5 games. Spellacy is a big power-forward, standing 6'3",195lbs, and is a true athlete with the drive to succeed, but he's still quite raw. One quality of his that is well-developed is his skating, as he's one of the fastest players in this year's draft crop. For a player his size, he's an elite skater who can cover an enormous swath of ice in a short time, and creates a ton of open space and time for himself to get into prime scoring areas. He makes his impression felt physically, and has a football player's mean streak. He plays a hard-nosed style, and drives opponents nuts with his tenaciousness, but he will also drop the gloves to defend himself or teammates. Spellacy is a good two-way player, and takes pride in his defensive game. He's one of Windsor's most reliable forwards, and has the speed and the wingspan to close on opponents fast, and to be disruptive. As with most true athletes, he is highly competitive, and brings energy to his team with his relentless motor. The most prominent offensive weapon in his arsenal is his finishing skills and his shot, which is hard and heavy. He has good hands around the net, and the 1-on-1 moves to beat goalies in-tight. Fans of the Spits say that he gets 2 or 3 breakaway chances per game, and some of those must be coming in man-down situations, as Spellacy is tied for 3rd in the OHL with 5 short-handed goals, which is almost 25% of his 21 goals on the season. In transition, he's highly effective using his quick lateral mobility to move around in traffic, and his enormous wingspan that gives him tight puck-protection. Spellacy has been rocketing up the draft charts lately, so it's safe to say that NHL scouts have taken notice of his second-half production. If he doesn't develop as a scorer, Spellacy has the tools to be a bottom-6 energy player with penalty-killing duties in the NHL someday. He needs to work on his puck-skills and his playmaking, but I think he will open eyes next year in the OHL. I would be comfortable taking him in the second round, and I could see an NHL team doing the same, but I will say third round. Watch out for this kid.