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For the first time since 1975, the Windsor Spitfires are No. 1.
The Spitfires won Wednesday’s Ontario Hockey League Draft Lottery to determine the top four picks in the first round of next month’s draft.
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“Obviously, this is exciting for our franchise and our city,” Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler said. “It’s going to be, we think, an immediate impact player that’s going to excite our fans and help our team win games.”
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After back-to-back Western Conference titles in the regular season, Windsor finished 19th in the 20-team league this season and had the second-best odds of landing the top pick at 30 per cent.
The Niagara IceDogs finished 20th and had a 40 per cent chance of landing the top pick, but slipped to the fourth spot.
The Sarnia Sting, who had the lowest odds of winning at 10 per cent, finished second and jumped three spots. Peterborough came in with the third-best odds at 20 per cent and will remain third.
“I don’t play (the lottery), but at Christmas there are scratch and wins exchanged in our stockings,” Bowler said. “There was no lucky charm or anything.”
Bowler simply watched the lottery unfold online as OHL vice-president Barclay Branch made the announcement.
“It happened so quick that there’s no time to think,” Bowler said of watching Niagara and Peterborough announced with the fourth and third pick, respectively. “I’m decent at match and you know your odds have increased. I just kept smiling more and more when (Branch) was speaking.”
Bowler would not go into who he will take with that top pick. However, at this point, there is no consensus No. 1 pick overall, but three forwards, in no particular order, have separated themselves from the field in six-foot-four, 209-pound Ethan Belchetz, from the Oakville Rangers, five-foot-nine, 170-pound Adam Valentini, from the Toronto Marlboros, and six-foot-two, 194-pound Braidy Wassilyn, from the Markham Majors.
Ryan “Pucks” Pyette on the OHL
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“It’s a real deep draft,” OHL director of central scouting Darrell Woodley said in a video released by the league. “There’s a lot of kids that are going to transition really well into our league next year.
“It’s a really good draft class and there’s going to be a lot impacting players come out of it this year. You’re going to get a franchise-altering type player. (You’re) going to get a player that comes in and makes a big impact right away next year and that’s always an exciting thing when you have that type of player coming in next year.”
Wednesday’s draft results can also impact the Spitfires in several other ways. Along with the top pick in the OHL Draft, Windsor will have the top pick in the Ontario Hockey League Under-18 Draft.
Windsor will also be the first OHL team to select in this summer’s Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, which will be third overall.
“Again, it’s not normal draft and you don’t always know who is eligible or who wants to come,” Bowler said of the import draft. “Again, though, you have access (early) to the known players coming.”
Not to get overlooked, trades by Bowler this season will also see the Spitfires benefit by holding two of the top three picks in the second round of next month’s draft.
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Windsor acquired Niagara’s second-round pick, which is 22nd overall, as part of the return for sending defenceman Nicholas De Angelis to the Sudbury Wolves in September.
The club also has Peterborough’s second-round pick, which is 24th overall, as part of the return that sent Alex Christopoulos and Rodwin Dioncio to Saginaw in November.
“When you make trades, you’re obviously trying to be strategic in what you do,” Bowler said. “You try to anticipate where teams might finish and that’s why you look at those early picks in those trades. We anticipate those three players being impact-caliber players.”
The first three rounds of the OHL Draft are set for April 12th with the final 12 rounds to be held on April 13th. The Spitfires are scheduled to formally announce the first overall pick a day before the draft begins on April 11th.
“I can’t wait,” Bowler said. “This is big. We’re going to get an elite talent.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
twitter.com/winstarparker
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