Ethan Belchetz (born March 30, 2008) is a Canadian junior ice hockey player for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2026 NHL entry draft.[1]
| Ethan Belchetz | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
March 30, 2008 Oakville, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||
| Weight | 226 lb (103 kg; 16 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| OHL team | Windsor Spitfires | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2026 | ||
Playing career
editBelchetz played youth hockey at the AAA level for the Oakville Rangers. During the 2022–23 season, he led the league in scoring and recorded 46 goals and 38 assists in 34 games.[2] Following the season he was named the Ontario Minor Hockey Association West U16 AAA Player of the Year.[3] During the 2024 OHL Cup he led the team in scoring with five goals and six assists in seven games, and was subsequently awarded the Tim Adams Memorial Trophy as MVP.[4]
On April 11, 2024, Belchetz was drafted first overall by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection and awarded the Jack Ferguson Award.[2][5] He explored his options, including the United States Hockey League, and the NCAA Division I, with visits to the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.[6] On May 4, 2024, he signed with the Spitfires.[7][8] During the 2024–25 season, in his debut weekend for the Spitfires, he recorded four goals and four assists in three games. During his first game he recorded two assists in a game against the Saginaw Spirit.[9] He then recorded four goals and two assists in a 12–2 victory against the Kitchener Rangers.[10] His four goals were the most by a Spitfires 16-year old rookie since Taylor Hall on March 6, 2008, while his six points were the most in a single game by an OHL 16-year-old rookie since Matt Puempel on March 13, 2010.[11] He was subsequently named the OHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending September 30, 2024.[12]
International play
editIn July 2024, Belchetz was invited to Hockey Canada's U-17 development camp.[13][14]
Career statistics
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2023–24 | Hamilton Kilty B's | GOJHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| GOJHL totals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
References
edit- ^ Campbell, Ken (April 11, 2024). "OHL mock draft: Projected No. 1 Ethan Belchetz could be NHL lottery pick in 2026. Who else fills out first round?". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ a b Welsh, Nicholas (April 11, 2024). "Windsor Spitfires Announce Ethan Belchetz as First Overall Pick in 2024 OHL Priority Selection". chl.ca. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ "OHL Announces 2024 U16 AAA Player of the Year Awards". chl.ca. March 30, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Sweetland, Josh (March 30, 2024). "Oakville Rangers forward Ethan Belchetz named 2024 OHL Cup MVP". chl.ca. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Sweetland, Josh (June 24, 2024). "First overall OHL Draft pick Ethan Belchetz honoured with Jack Ferguson Award". chl.ca. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Parker, Jim (April 12, 2024). "Spitfires wanting Belchetz was no guarantee the club could land the talented forward". Windsor Star. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Parker, Jim (May 4, 2024). "First overall pick in OHL Draft finally in fold as Belchetz signs on with Spitfires". Windsor Star. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Stockl, Joely (May 5, 2024). "First Overall Pick Ethan Belchetz Signs OHL Scholarship & Development Agreement with Windsor Spitfires". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ "Windsor Spitfires hope to rebound after down year with top OHL draft pick Belchetz". CBC.ca. September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Parker, Jim (September 29, 2024). "Spitfires' rookie class explodes in 12-2 win over Rangers while drawing flashback comparisons". Windsor Star. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ "Saturday Highlights: Belchetz takes centre stage as Spits unload in home opener". chl.ca. September 29, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Welsh, Nicholas (September 30, 2024). "Spitfires' Ethan Belchetz named OHL Rookie of the Week". chl.ca. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Welsh, Nicholas (July 16, 2024). "Belchetz, Hicks, Lemieux and Nesbitt invited to Hockey Canada summer camps". chl.ca. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Ryan (August 16, 2024). "How First Overall Pick Ethan Belchetz is Preparing For His Rookie OHL Season". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
External links
edit- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database