Nathan Staios in action with the Vaughan Kings. Staios, the son of former NHL player Steve Staios, was taken by the Windsor Spitfires with their first round pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection (Photo courtesy of ontariohockeyleague.com)Nathan Staios in action with the Vaughan Kings. Staios, the son of former NHL player Steve Staios, was taken by the Windsor Spitfires with their first round pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection (Photo courtesy of ontariohockeyleague.com)
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Spitfires Stock Up for Future

By Mark Brown
April 8, 2017 - 8:38pm

The Windsor Spitfires are using their pre-Memorial Cup layoff to plan for the future.

The Ontario Hockey League held its annual Priority Selection Saturday, and the Spits had a total of 15 picks in this year's draft.

Their first round choice, 17th overall, is defenceman Nathan Staios of the Vaughan Minor Midget Kings.  The five-foot-eight, 160 pound Oakville, Ont. native had five goals in 16 points this season for Vaughan.  He is the son of former NHL player Steve Staios, who is currently the president and general manager of the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Spitfires were eliminated by the London Knights in the first round of the OHL playoffs on Tuesday, though their season is not yet over.  As hosts of the 2017 MasterCard Memorial Cup, Windsor has an automatic berth and is on a layoff until the tournament begins next month.

The remaining picks for the Spitfires in the draft are as follows, in the order they were drafted:

  • Louka Henault, defenceman, 96th overall (fifth round), from Etobicoke, Ont.  He had six goals for a total of 28 points this season for Toronto Marlies Minor Midget AAA.
  • Daniel D'Amico, left winger, 109th overall (sixth round from the Flint Firebirds), from Caledon, Ont.  He had 18 goals for a total 33 points, also for Toronto Marlies Minor Midget.
  • Austin Brimmer, right winger, 113th overall (sixth round from the Mississauga Steelheads), from Pickering, Ont.  He scored 18 goals for 36 points for the Mississauga Minor Midget Rebels this season.
  • Jordan Frasca, centre, 125th overall (seventh round from the Niagara IceDogs), from Caledon.  This season, he had 17 points including eight goals for the Mississauga Minor Midget Senators
  • Michael Andrews, left winger, 150th overall (eighth round from Hamilton), from Trenton, Ont.  He scored 26 goals this season for the Quinte Minor Midget Red Devils
  • Markus Paterson, left winger, 152nd overall (eighth round from the Kitchener Rangers), from Toronto.  He had a total ten points this season for the Toronto Minor Midget Nationals.
  • Dominick Fensore, defenceman, 156th overall (eighth round), from Thornwood, N.Y.  This season he had 27 points for the P.A.L. Junior Islanders 16U.
  • Erik Yelle, defenceman, 176th overall (ninth round), from Toronto.  He is the third player from the Toronto Marlies AAA organization taken by the Spitfires, having 26 penalty minutes this season.
  • Stefan Dobrich, defenceman, 182nd overall (10th round from the Guelph Storm), from Amherstburg.  He had eight assists and 28 regular-season penalty minutes this season for the Sun County Minor Midget Panthers.
  • Cade Webber, defenceman, 216th overall (11th round), from Meadville, Pennsylvania.  He had 17 points this season for the Rivers PS Red Wings.
  • Cameron Recchi, centre/left winger, 221st overall (12th round from the Barrie Colts), from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.  The son of former NHL player Mark Recchi most recently had 11 points for the Cushing Academy Penguins.
  • Jeff Taylor, centre, 236th overall (12th round), from Ottawa.  In 44 games this season with the Kemptville Midget 73s, he had 13 points and 20 penalty minutes.
  • Matthew Crasa, centre/right winger, 256th overall (13th round), from South Setauket, N.Y.  He most recently played for the Selects Academy 15U at South Kent School.
  • Braeden Agresti, right winger, 267th overall (14th round from the Sudbury Wolves), from Newmarket, Ont.  This season, he had 19 points for the Toronto Minor Midget Red Wings.

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