25-04-2025
Five off-season storylines to follow with Spitfires
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It's time for the Windsor Spitfires to turn the page.
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While the club would loved to have been playing Friday as the Western Conference final got underway, the club's playoff exit on Tuesday has general manager Bill Bowler now looking towards the 2025-26 season.
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'You're invested in what's going on today, but you're always looking at the future,' Bowler said.
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While players will get a few months off to rest and train, Bowler has been looking forward for months and took a few minutes to discuss some of the key off-season subjects the club and fans should keep an eye on this summer ahead of next season.
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Centre Ilya Protas exploded on the scene in his first season with the Spitfires, who made him the third overall pick in the Canadian Hockey League Draft.
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The six-foot-five, 200-pound Protas had 14 goals and 51 points 61 games with Des Moines in the United States Hockey League last season, but finished second in Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 50 goals and 124 points in 61 games while earning the William Hanley Trophy as the league's most sportsmanlike player award.
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A third-round pick by the Washington Capitals in 2024, the 18-year-old Protas still has a year of junior eligibility left.
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However, Protas has signed his NHL entry-level contract and, because he was not drafted out of the CHL, the Capitals weigh the benefits of returning him to Windsor or placing him in the American Hockey League if he does not make the Capitals' roster.
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'Some things are out of your control,' Bowler said. 'Player movement is something we have no control over.
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'We'll deal with it and there's no timetable (for a decision on his future). Washington and Ilyas' camp will decide what's best for him.'
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If he opts to return for an overage season, Joey Costanzo has clearly established himself as a No. 1 goalie.
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The 19-year-old Costanzo was outstanding to start the season, struggled a little in the second half, but was solid in the playoffs with a 2.29 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 12 games.
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'He was awesome,' Spitfires' head coach Greg Walters said. 'He was amazing and he gave us every chance to win. He was one of our best players until Christmas, he went down a little bit and he came back. Super proud of him.'
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But it's a crowded field behind Costanzo and the Spitfires will have decisions to make to reduce the field and prepare a future No. 1 when Costanzo graduates.
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Six-foot-four Carter Froggett would be an overager in 2026-27, but was solid this past season as Costanzo's backup with an 8-7-1-1 record, 3.52 goals-against avenge and .879 save percentage.
