3 takeaways: Windsor hosts Team Canada for summer showcase

With the Windsor Spitfires missing the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) playoffs, it's been a long offseason, and fans in the region have been itching for hockey. Fortunately, Hockey Canada came calling, giving fans a chance to see Canada's national junior team this week in the 2024 Summer Showcase.

Every year, the national junior teams from Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the United States gather for a week in late July in Plymouth, MI, for the Summer Showcase. This season, it's a chance for the brass to evaluate players' training and skills before the season and in preparation for the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa in December.

While normally it's in Plymouth, Hockey Canada asked the City of Windsor and the Spitfires if they could host Team Canada for a practice, a Red-and-White game on Tues., July 30, and a game against Team Sweden on Wed., July 31. All parties came to an agreement, and fans got a chance to see NHL prospects like Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs), and Carter George (Los Angeles Kings). Here are three takeaways from the three-day event.

3. Carson Rehkopf Continues Domination

There's something about Rehkopf and the WFCU Centre. The 19-year-old Kitchener Rangers' veteran seems to thrive under the bright lights. In his OHL career, he's had four goals and three assists in six games with Windsor and seems to be in every scoring opportunity. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Vaughan native had that same story this week during the Summer Showcase.

In the Red-White game, Rehkoph stopped a late three-goal outburst from Team White, scoring the game-winning goal with 27 seconds left as Team Red took a 4-3 win. Nobody was overly surprised, and he kept that momentum going into Wednesday's game against the Swedes.

Canada had a tough time getting past Swedish goaltender Melker Thelin, who stopped 44 of 46 shots. However, Rehkopf did his thing, adding another goal in the second period and then the game-tying goal with 1:47 left in the third. He got a rare roar from the crowd, who's used to groaning when he lights the lamp. Unfortunately, the crowd groaned a little bit at the end as the Swedes took a 3-2 win in a shootout. The Canadians dominated the Swedes on the shot clock, 46-21, but Thelin stood tall until Rehkopf's tying goal.

Whether you're a Spitfires fan, a Rangers fan, or just a hockey fan, you have to respect what Rehkopf brings to the table. The Kraken prospect has size, intelligence, and a clear nose for the net. With three goals in two games, he's showing he could be a force for Canada when the real games begin on December 26.

2. Sweden Finds a Way Again

When talking about consistently successful World Juniors teams, you have to include the Swedes. From 2006 until 2020, they won 54 straight World Juniors round-robin games. While they have lost a game every tournament since then, there's a swagger about them, and you know they will give any team a real challenge.

On Wednesday, even though this was an evaluation game, it was much of the same. While the Canadians outshot the Swedes 19-5 in the first period and 46-21 overall, this was a game of «anything you can do, I can do better.» The Swedes opened the scoring in the second, responded to the first game-tying goal early in the third period, and eventually grabbed the win with two goals in the shootout.

At the 2024 World Juniors, Thelin had a 1.91 goals-against average (GAA) and .909 save percentage (SV%) in two games, backing up starter Hugo Havelid, who was a rock for them. However, with a 44-save performance, Thelin is making a case for being the next in line. His defense allowed Canada to get in close on multiple occasions, but he continuously looked poised and confident.

While this is an evaluation tournament and not the real deal, the Swedes have to be happy with some aspects of their game. Yes, they were heavily out-shot, but they kept their composure, stuck to their game plan, got a big game from Thelin, and took advantage of opportunities. Win or lose, that's what you want in a team, and the Swedish fans could be happy come Christmasagain.

1. Windsor is Thirsty for Hockey

The last two Springs have not gone the Spitfires' way. After being eliminated in the first round in 2022-23, they missed the playoffs altogether last season. The result has been a fanbase itching for optimism and hockey in warm weather. They got a taste of it when the team made the OHL Championship in 2021-22, but they wanted more, and this was the perfect chance.

A buzz was created around town as soon as Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens announced the Summer Showcase was coming to the WFCU Centre. While there were roughly 1,500 fans in attendance for the Red-White game, there appeared to be closer to 5,000 fans against Sweden. The WFCU Centre holds approximately 6,500 and, save for the top dozen rows of seats in the highest end of the stands, most sections were packed.

Fans came dressed from head to toe in Team Canada gear. Spending a hot, muggy Wednesday night in an arena can be tough, but the region is thirsty for hockey. They were loud from the start, passionate, and chanting «Let's Go Canada» throughout. There were even some Swedish fans in the house, including a child who got the Swedes' attention after the game. They all came over to high-five him through the glass. It's a moment he'll never forget.

The City of Windsor has supported hockey for generations. However, with the Spitfires' struggles last season, fans desperately needed something positive to look forward to. While they should be an improved squad in 2024-25, thanks to general manager Bill Bowler, you can't blame fans for wanting more. Organizers put this together, and fans responded. It gives everyone something to talk about leading up to training camp in late August.