The Windsor Spitfires have added five new players in their first ever Ontario Hockey League Under-18 Priority Selection.
Among the players taken Wednesday night was Windsor AAA Midgets Captain Gianluca Pizzuto. The 5 foot 7, 181-pound defenceman played 35 regular season games last season, scoring three times and adding 19 assists along with 26 penalty minutes, adding 12 points (4G, 8A) in 12 playoff games.
The Spitfires also selected Evan Benwell from the Mississauga Rebels Midget AAA program. The 5 foot 10, 158-pound winger was chosen 16th overall in the first round.
The Spits used the 56th pick in the draft to select Quintin Loon-Stewardson, a 5 foot 10 and 167-pound centre from the Thunder Bay Kings.
Windsor also selected goalie Patrick O’Leary of the Mississauga Reps Midget AAAs with the 76th pick and Matthew O’Brien, a 6 foot 193-pound right winger from the Toronto Nationals Midget AAAs at 96.
All five players are expected to be at spring mini-camp for the Spitfires later this month.
A total of five players from the Windsor AAA Midgets were selected in the draft Wednesday night.
In addition to Pizzuto, goalie James Walker was selected second overall by Guelph.
Defenceman Abdul Abouzeeni was selected with 5th pick by Niagara.
Winger Evan Ferguson was taken by Saginaw with the 24th pick and defenceman Tyler Beneteau was selected 57th by London.
