The Windsor Spitfires have a new captain.
Ethan Garden has been named team captain for the 2026-27 season, becoming the latest player to take on one of the franchise’s most visible leadership roles.
The 18-year-old forward is entering his third season with Windsor after being selected in the ninth round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection.
Garden says learning he would wear the “C” was a special moment.
“I was super excited. Obviously, you know it’s a great honour, and I couldn’t be more excited for the season,” said Garden.
Garden has played 124 regular-season games with Windsor and is coming off a breakout season that saw him record 41 points in 65 games.
The new captain says his goal is to be someone teammates can depend on throughout the year.
“I want to be a guy people people can lean on, and I always want to be showing a good example of playing the right way and carrying yourself the right way on and off the ice,” Garden said.
Garden follows a long line of Spitfires captains, including recently departed Liam Greentree, and says he’s learned plenty from the leaders who came before him.
Looking ahead, he says the focus is on team success.
“Our expectations are obviously to make the playoffs and go on a deep playoff run. For us to achieve that, everyone just needs to buy in and I think we have the group to be able to do it. So everybody buys in and we start finding the net, I think we’ll be okay,” said Garden.
Anthony Cristoforo and Conor Walton will serve as full-time alternate captains, while Johnny McLaughlin will wear an “A” during home games and Andrew Robinson will serve as an alternate captain on the road.
Garden will debut as Windsor’s captain Thursday night when the Spitfires host the North Bay Battalion at the WFCU Centre.
Puck-drop is set for 7:05 p.m., with the pre-game show with Steve Bell underway at 6:50 p.m. on AM800.