The new head coach and the general manager of the Windsor Spitfires organization are ready to get the 2024-25 season started.
Greg Walters was hired as the new coach in early July, and says the team is in the present, and are looking forward to this year.
Meanwhile, Bill Bowler - who has been the general manager since the 2019-20 season - says he thinks the team will surprise their opponents this year.
The Spitfires went undefeated in the pre-season, 5-0, a clear improvement to last years season, where Windsor only won 18 out of 68 games.
Last year, the Spits sat in last place in the Western Conference, and 19th overall - missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
Walters says the team will be playing defence-first hockey.
"Working from our net out, and we've done that all training camp, and look at how many goals we scored, right? So, we believe the harder we check defensively the quicker we get the puck back, the quicker we get the puck back the more goals we score, and we've had 100 per cent buy-in here from the players on that."
The head coach says they've added some great young players.
"Starting here obviously with [Ethan] Belchetz, and then J.C. Lemieux works extremely hard is going to be a great player, and fans are going to love watching him play," Walters says. "And [Carter] Hicks he's been great defensively for us, and blocking shots, and those are your first three picks."
Bowler says they're really confident in the group.
"The expectations within the group have changed, we have a new coaching staff, as the general manager seeing some of the additions we have - things have changed dramatically, and we're really confident in this group. And we think we're going to surprise some teams."
The general manager adds that the Spits have the best fans in the league.
"We want to win more games than we lose, and there's no question when the WFCU's got more people in it, it supports and pushes our players, but I know the players talk about it and are thankful for the support we have. And even as the general manager, and the coaches, we ask our fans to be patient, and they have been. This year is a new year, and it does look promising."
The season will officially start tonight with puck drop set for 7:35 p.m. against the Spirit in Saginaw, with the AM800 pre-game show with Steve Bell starting at 7:15 p.m.
The Spitfires' home opener will be against the Sarnia Sting on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the WFCU Centre.