Zito impresses Red Wings GM Yzerman to become one of seven Spitfires heading to a main NHL camp

Article content

The fact that Windsor Spitfires forward Pasquale Zito missed an entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not go unnoticed by Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman.

Article content

Despite the Ontario Hockey League being closed for the 2020-21 season, the Red Wings took a flier on 18-year-old Zito in the sixth round of this year’s NHL Draft.

Yzerman was so impressed by Zito’s performance at the club’s prospects tournament over the weekend that he earned an invitation to the team’s main training camp, which begins Thursday in Traverse City, Michigan.

“We were left with nine forwards,” Yzerman said of the final game of the tournament. “Some of these children had not played, like Pasquale Zito did not play last year.

“I thought it looked really good for someone who hadn’t played (and) for someone who is 18 years old. It held up well. Some of these teams had guys who have been professionals for a few years or who have just dropped out of college and are 23 or 24 years old (and) it did well for an 18 “guy.

Article content

The 6-foot, 176-pound Zito had a power play goal in three games and was even in a tournament where Detroit was outscored 16-10.

“I feel like I played well,” Zito said. “Obviously, having a year off at OHL, being out for a year, of course, for the first game (I) felt a bit slow coming back. I felt progressively improving and adapting to the speed “.

Zito is one of seven Spitfires who moved from rookie camps to main camps with NHL teams.

Dallas Stars first-round pick Wyatt Johnston moved into the team’s main camp along with New York Rangers second-round pick Will Cuylle and Montreal Canadiens fifth-round pick Daniil Sobolev. Colorado Avalanche third-round pick Jean-Luc Foudy, who has an option to play in the American Hockey League this year, is also heading to main camp.

Article content

Defenders Louka Henault and Dylan Robinson made the most of the free-agent invites. Henault heads to main camp with the Anaheim Ducks and Robinson with the Los Angeles Kings.

Forwards Matthew Maggio, who was in camp with the Washington Capitals, and Daniel D’Amico, who was in camp with the St. Louis Blues, returned to practice with the Spitfires on Wednesday.

“Maggio and D’Amico will help with our lineup,” said Spitfires head coach Marc Savard, who expects both to be in the lineup for Friday’s exhibition game in Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Spitfires general manager Bill Bowler is hopeful that Russian forward Avval Baisov’s visa issues will be cleared up soon and the club’s first-round pick in the import draft will be in Windsor by the end of the next. week.

[email protected]

twitter.com/winstarparker