September 20, 2025
Windsor Spitfires v. London Knights
WFCU Centre
Ethan Belchetz #61, F
Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
6’5”, 227 lbs, DOB 2008-03-30
Belchetz gave a strong performance in the home opener against London, earning
himself a 2-point game (1G, 1A), with the game winning goal. Going into the home
opener as a high-profile pick and delivering the points under the spotlight showed his
composure and that he does not disappear or play tentatively. His one-timer was from a
dangerous area (right circle) and was well-executed with his quick release and
precision. Recognizing the 5-on-3, he set himself up in that scoring position, speaking to
his IQ and situational awareness, especially against a disciplined and talented team like
London. While his stats were offensive, in a game where Windsor limited opportunities
and maintained control, Belchetz was not drifting defensively and was part of a
successful system to shut London down. Where Belchetz can improve is his awareness
to his size. As a tall forward, his skating will need continued refinement. Accelerations,
edgework, and transitions will be critical to keep pace as competition stiffens. He could
improve his speed by lengthening his stride. Standing at six foot five, he can lean into
his stride and length of his legs to do the work for him and keep his endurance. Big
forwards often absorb more physical play and hits. As the season progresses and
opponents target him, he’ll need to maintain physical resilience. Belchetz projects as a
power winger with the potential to be a middle to top 6 forward at the NHL level, with
value in net-front presence, physicality and scoring.
Skater Category Summarization:
Skating: 6
Puck Skill: 7
Scoring Ability: 8
Hockey IQ: 7
Character: 8
Physicality: 6
Defensive Play: 6
September 20, 2025
Windsor Spitfires v. London Knights
WFCU Centre
Logan Hawery #26, F
London Knights (OHL)
5’10”, 170 lbs, DOB 2008-03-15
Hawery was the only Knight player to get on the board tonight. In a game where London
struggled, being the source of offense gives value. Even in a loss, Hawery had
something to show for his offensive efforts. He was able to capitalize on the man
advantage, finding a scoring lane from the slot to wrist one home, showcasing his
powerplay awareness. He has a dangerous wrist shot and will snipe it when given the
smallest amount of time and space. Where he lacked was his defensive game.
Throughout Windsor’s continued pressure, nothing stood out about his defensive
awareness, speaking to the – 3 he had tonight. As a centre, he needs to be more
aggressive in the defensive zone and on the backchecks. His size may limit him, but
tonight’s game was not a fair judgement of that as the Knights struggled as a whole. If
he can improve his consistency in his 2-way game and continue offensive pressure, he
can push himself toward the higher levels and become a key depth player in the NHL.
Skater Category Summarization:
Skating: 6
Puck Skill: 6
Scoring Ability: 7
Hockey IQ: 7
Character: 7
Physicality: 4
Defensive Play: 5
September 20, 2025
Windsor Spitfires v. London Knights
WFCU Centre
Caleb Mitchell #77, D
London Knights (OHL)
5’11”, 180 lbs, DOB 2008-03-17
Mitchell is one of the go-to defencemen for the Knights, being used regularly and
earning top minutes on the blue line. He displayed responsible gap control and
situational awareness throughout the game, being a constant support in the transition
game. He had a momentary lapse in decision-making under pressure when he was
called on a delay of game penalty, one that is easy to avoid. He was positionally smart
on the regroups and he looked comfortable with the puck, made outlet passes and
skated pucks out under pressure rather than a routine dump. Offensively, Mitchell was
visible jumping into the play to keep pucks alive in the zone and used his mobility and
edgework, which allowed him to join those offensive rushes. There were a couple
instances where Mitchell got caught on a risky pinch and the Spitfires were able to
quickly counter the pressure, this exposure wasn’t costly to him today but being mindful
of when to pinch and being aware of the support (or lack thereof) is crucial for a young
defenceman to learn. Although he does not have an overly large frame, he competes
physically, engaging in board battles and being dominate in his positioning in front of the
Knights’ goaltender. However, he did get out-muscled at times, showing a gap in
strength development. Overall, it was a promising but imperfect performance – a lot to
like from an offensive transition standpoint and with clear, fixable developmental points.
If he cleans up his situational reads and adds strength without losing his mobility,
performances like this fit the profile of a middle-pairing, puck-moving defence who can
play power-play minutes and drive transition.
Skater Category Summarization:
Skating: 6
Puck Skill: 6
Scoring Ability: 4
Hockey IQ: 6
Character: 7
Physicality: 6
Defensive Play: 7