4 Windsor Spitfires’ Breakout Candidates for 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – OHL

The calendar has turned to August which means the 2026-27 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season officially begins next month. For the Windsor Spitfires, it’s a incredible opportunity for players to take the next step in their development.

After going all-in last season, the Spitfires are losing some key names from their roster including New York Rangers’ prospect captain Liam Greentree, Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect A.J. Spellacy, and veteran defenceman Carson Woodall, who’s off to Boston College. However, with nearly a dozen graduations comes more chances for players to step up and show they’ve got what it takes to lead the club into the new era. In particular, four players who showed well last season are in a prime spot for more ice time and having a potential breakout season. Let’s take a look.

Forward John McLaughlin

As the Spitfires’ first-round pick in 2025, 16-year-old forward John McLaughlin (turns 17 in mid-August) is looking to take the next step this season.

The 6-foot, 172-pound Corunna, ON native took a bit of time to adjust to the OHL level but, once he did, he showed why he was chosen so high. He put home nine goals and 16 points in 50 games but most of it was from the third-and-fourth lines. Whenever he was on the ice, he played with confidence and showed a physical, never-quit style motor. The club likes him enough that, despite going on a run last season, they kept him at the January trade deadline.

Now, McLaughlin returns to the Spitfires for 2026-27 ready to elevate his game. Head coach Greg Walters often rewards a strong work ethic with ice time and the youngster could certainly move up to the top two lines quickly. It’s a golden chance to break out and show everyone what he’s truly capable of.

Forward Caden Harvey

Along similar lines is 18-year-old forward Caden Harvey, who was chosen by the club in the fifth round in 2025. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound Beaver, PA native came to the Spitfires as an offensive, sometimes gritty forward who was looking to develop his game before heading to Penn State University in 2027-28. He also started off with a bit of a transition period but, in the second half, really took off and started to get more comfortable in the OHL.

He finished with an impressive 11 goals and 34 points in the full 68 games, earning the trust of Walters, their staff, and even the Edmonton Oilers, who made him a sixth-round pick in June. Harvey isn’t flashy but he’s quick, physical, and has a budding pro shot. There were nights where you may not notice him until he quietly put up a pair of assists or goals.

Coming into 2026-27, he’s likely to join McLaughlin on a top-two line and really get a chance to blossom into the offensive stud that general manager Bill Bowler saw in 2024-25. Harvey scored 41 goals and 95 points in 53 games that season for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16U AAA so it’s just a matter of time before he shows that offensive prowess with the Spitfires.

Defenceman Andrew Robinson

On defence, the Spitfires have a veteran who’s primed for a big “here I am” season and that’s the 18-year-old Andrew Robinson.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Oilers’ 2026 fifth-rounder was the Spitfires’ third-round pick in 2024 but was brought along slowly. Robinson developed in the lower leagues until the club needed help because of injuries in March 2025. He signed his contract and immediately made an impact, which continued through last season.

Robinson plays a smart, two-way game with some physicality thrown in. He had nine goals (including a hat trick) and 24 points in 63 games last season but a lot of it was on bottom pairings because the club was making a big run. However, with veterans Woodall, Wyatt Kennedy, and Jakub Fibigr all graduating, plus the likelihood that veteran defenceman-turned-forward Anthony Cristoforo will jump up to forward full-time, this is Robinson’s chance to take some of the spotlight and run with it. With the club lacking offence from the backend, he’ll be given plenty of minutes to take his game to the next level. Can he do it?

Goaltender Michael Newlove

This might be the most important one for the Spitfires, at least early in the season. Goaltender Michael Newlove, 19, comes into 2026-27 with something to prove and he has every chance to make it happen.

After their disastrous 2023-24 season that saw them finish second last in the OHL, the Spitfires won the 2024 OHL Draft Lottery. That meant the first overall pick in the OHL Draft (forward Ethan Belchetz) plus the first overall pick in the 2024 OHL Under-18 Draft, which gave undrafted players a second chance. That’s where Bowler brought in Newlove.

After a season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (Jr. A), he made the Spitfires last season and backed up veteran Joey Costanzo, 20. The idea was to give Newlove as much experience as possible before he took over in 2026-27. It worked as he earned a solid 2.76 goals-against average and .886 save percentage through 23 games.

With Costanzo now graduated, the crease likely belongs to Newlove. While his backup isn’t clear yet, the team will initially ride the sophomore and give him the keys to the crease to show what he can do with the spotlight. He had some fantastic outings in 2025-26, including two shutouts, but he also had some (as expected) rough nights. If he can put it all together and run with this opportunity, the potential for a breakout season is certainly there. That would also take pressure off of Bowler to focus on other areas as needed.

After an impressive run to the OHL’s Western Conference Championship, losing to the eventual Memorial Cup Champion Kitchener Rangers, the Spitfires are looking at a much younger roster. That means the potential for some impressive breakout seasons and these four talented sophomores could be at the forefront of that.