Article content
It has been a roller-coaster ride for defenceman Andrew Robinson.
It has been a roller-coaster ride for defenceman Andrew Robinson.
Article content
Article content
Eleven months after being selected in the third round of the Ontario Hockey League Draft by the Spitfires, the 17-year-old Robinson made his debut with the club in Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds before a crowd of 5,251 at the WFCU Centre.
“It’s awesome,” Robinson said. “It’s a great feeling. I was super excited. Just an unreal experience.”
Advertisement 2
Article content
The Spitfires grabbed Robinson the third round of the 2024 OHL Draft and he attended orientation camp, but it appeared as though he would never join the club after he made an NCAA commitment to Providence University just weeks before Windsor’s main camp.
Robinson joined Georgetown in the Ontario Junior Hockey League and normally that would have been the end of any chance of playing in Windsor. However, in November, the NCAA changed its rules to now allow Canadian Hockey League players to remain eligible.
“You always leave the door open for every player,” Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler said. “Again, with the new NCAA rules, it benefitted players and that’s a good thing.”
Bowler had planned all along to sign the six-foot, 185-pound Robinson. However, with defencemen Tnias Mathurin and Joseph Eichler sidelined by injury, Bowler saw a chance to sign Robinson and get him into the game.
“I got the call late last (Wednesday) that I might be coming down, woke up (Thursday) morning and got a call from my agent who said we had a contract when you get down there,” Robinson said. “I got down and signed it 15 minutes before I got on the ice.”
Ryan “Pucks” Pyette on the OHL
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
Spitfires’ head coach Greg Walters, who was not hired before the team’s orientation camp, was pleased with the performance of Robinson, who was one of two 2024 OHL Draft picks playing on defence Thursday along with Carter Hicks.
“I think he’s real good,” Walters said Robinson. “Calm, made plays, very, very effective.”
As the game wore on, Robinson, who is NHL Draft eligible in 2026, became more comfortable and was thrilled to be in Windsor.
“The OHL is the best junior league in the world,” said Robinson, who led all rookie defencemen in scoring in the OJHL with three goals and 34 points in 53 games along with 33 penalty minutes for Georgetown.“That’s clear to see and playing with a team like Windsor and being drafted here, this is where I want to be and I want to play here next year and I want to be here long term and continue to develop here.”
Robinson is the seventh player from the 2024 draft to play for the club along with first overall pick Ethan Belchetz, Carter Hicks, J.C. Lemieux, Ethan Garden, Max Brocklehurst and Jake Windbiel.
It’s the first time the Spitfires have had seven players hit the ice from a single draft since 2015 when Gabriel Vilardi, Mikey DiPietro, Kyle Auger, Cole Carter, Luke Boka, Cole Turbo and Thomas Stevenson all played in the league.
Advertisement 4
Article content
“It’s crazy,” Walters said. “We miss J.C. Lemieux (who is injured), Hicksy’s playing multiple minutes, Belchetz is the cream of the crop, Brocklehurst played extremely well for us and makes plays, Winbield, was in and Gard’s is one of my favourite players on the team and now Robinson. Unbelievable job by Frank (Evola the team’s director of scouting and hockey operations) and Billy (Bowler).”
Garden had the game-winning goal on Thursday and Belchetz also scored with Hicks picking up an assist.
Liam Greentree, Ilya Protas, Noah Morneau and Cole Davis also scored for the Spitfires, who lost Davis late in the first period after a head checking major that could result in a suspension.
“With all the injuries and guys out of the lineup and losing Davis, (Shawn) Costello, (Tanner) Winegard, Gards, Hicksy all played a lot of minutes and we got two points off a desperate Sault team,” Walters said.
It’s unclear how much more Robinson will play down the stretch, but he’s excited for the future with the Spitfires.
“Playing down here is awesome,” said Robinson, who lives down the street from Belchetz in Oakville. “I think we definitely have a great ’08 (born) core from that (2024) draft and got a ton of picks go through.
Advertisement 5
Article content
“In the future, I think we’re going to have a dominating team. We’re going to be up there pretty much every season and I’m looking forward to that.”
twitter.com/winstarparker
Game Summary
Thursday Result
Spitfires 6 Greyhounds 3
Sault Ste. Marie 2 0 1 – 3
Windsor 2 2 2 – 6
First period: 1. Windsor, Davis 19 (Woodall, Nesbitt) 4:35, 2. Windsor, Greentree 48 (Prots) 5:43, 3. Sault Ste. Marie, Cloutier 26 (Allard, Solomon) 6:04, 4. Sault Ste. Marie, Mignosa 33 (Reid, Martin) 10:34. Penalties: Cloutier S (interference) 13:50, Davis W (head check major, game misconduct) 17:49.
Second period: 5. Windsor, Belchetz 17 (Protas) 14:02, 6. Windsor, Garden 6 (Hicks, Woodall) 18:38. Penalty: Solomon S (tripping) 4:39.
Third period: 7. Windsor, Protas 47 (Greentree) 3:55, 8. Sault Ste. Marie, Martin 30 (Hayes, Reid) 14:22, 9. Windsor, Morneau 27 (Greentree, Cristoforo) 19:04 (en). Penalties: None.
Game stats – SOG – Sault Ste. Marie 6 12 9 – 27 Windsor 12 15 13 – 40 Goal (shots-saves) – Sault Ste. Marie: Miller (L,12-17-1-0) (39-34). Windsor: Costanzo (W,32-10-3-1) (27-24). Power play (goals-chances) – Sault Ste. Marie 0-1. Windsor 0-2. Referees: Brendan Kane and James Kraft. Linesmen: Devon Gale and Dan Kovachik. Att.: 5,251 at the WFCU Centre.
Article content
