In a league where talent comes in and leaves just as quickly, moving an impact player to a contender before the trade deadline is common.
Heading into what might be his final OHL season as a Spitfire — whether or not Michael DiPietro will finish his junior career in Windsor is on the minds of fans.
Just moments after sitting down with AM800 News to answer that very question, General Manager Warren Rychel received the same enquiry from a season ticket holder at the State of the Spitfires Q&A on Saturday.
Rychel knows DiPietro will do whatever is best for the team if that time comes — pointing out DiPietro is working for a contract with the Vancouver Canucks - but with a core defensive group coming back, all he's thinking about is trying to make a run into the playoffs next year.
"He's really our leader, even though he's a goalie, he's probably our captain. He takes care of the young kids all the time, that's a huge factor with a young team, plus he's local so it's all positive," he says. "Whether he stays or goes, I'm not at that point yet."
DiPietro knows the possibility of being moved is always there for a top level goalie nearing the end of his junior tenure.
"There's not an urge for me to leave and go somewhere else for the last three or four months of the season," says DiPietro. "I love everyone here, so it's definitely on my mind, you have to think about it just in case that time comes, but right now my focus is to stay with Windsor and hopefully finish out a Spitfire."
In 136 games with the Spitfires DiPietro is 75-41 with a 2.55 GAA and 15 shutouts.