gaymes uses never-quit attitude to earn deal with spitfires
the windsor spitfires kicked off training camp on thurs...
aug 29 2024
3 minute read
forward nathan gaymes, at right, battles to clear sudubry's devin mauro, from in front of windsor spitfires' goalie max donoso during a game last season.
john lappa
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john lappa/sudbury star
the windsor spitfires kicked off training camp on thursday by bringing another former draft pick into the fold.
nathan gaymes, who was selected in the 15th and final round of the 2022 ohl draft by the spitfires with the 286th pick overall, has signed a standard scholarship and development agreement.
“what he did at end of last season and his progression since the day we drafted him is impressive,” spitfires’ general manager bill bowler said. “he’s a gamer and he’s proven it.”
making an ohl roster is tough enough for most draft picks, but the odds become increasingly less likely the later you go in the draft. despite those odds, gaymes, who is from brampton, never lost hope of achieving his goal.
“honestly, when i got picked, i was really happy,” gaymes said. “i was just grateful to end up going. i think it was a little bit of a long shot (to get signed), but i also think it’s 50-50 if you really work hard.”
gaymes was a 20-goal scorer for the don mills flyers the year the spitfires drafted him. he followed that up with a 20-goal campaign for the toronto junior canadiens’ under-18 team in 2022-23 before opting to join windsor’s junior b lasalle vipers affiliate team last year where he topped the club with 20 goals and finished with 34 points in 46 games.
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“it was a hard decision, but one that was worth it and needed to be done and that’s why i chose to do it,” gaymes said of leaving home to play for the vipers. “to get to this point, i just believed in myself and doing what i had to do. whatever the coach needed, i did and i worked on the areas i needed to work on.”
windsor spitfires’ forward nathan gaymes, at left, collides with the london knights’ ryder boulton during a game last season.
derek ruttan
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photo by derek ruttan/london fre
on a rebuilding windsor squad that featured one of the youngest rosters in the ohl, gaymes also didn’t look out of place when he was called up for four games with the spitfires last season and scored a pair of goals. he is now the sixth player on the roster from what has become a very productive 2022 ohl draft for the spitfires along with anthony cristoforo, liam greentree, a.j. spellacy, cole davis and carson woodall. goalie carter froggett has also been signed by the club and is battling for a roster spot while defenceman trevor o’dell, who was traded to sudbury last year, is also battling for a regular spot.
“this is an easy signing and a credit to his work ethic,” bowler said of gaymes. “i think he brings an aggressive style that. he can get that ugly goal (going to the net) and you know when he’s in the game.”
with the spitfires, gaymes will be the second 15th-round pick on the roster along with overage centre noah morneau, who was taken with the 294th pick overall in the 2020 ohl draft.
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“at this point, i’m just really excited and i feel like my dream’s come true,” gaymes said. “i feel the message is, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where you’re drafted. we have two 15th-round picks on this team and, if you work hard, you’re going to get where you want to go.”
but the windsor roster is deep with young forwards and the battle for gaymes now is to carve out a regular spot.
“the job now is to work even harder and get ready for the season,” gaymes said. “it’s still the same mindset as the last two years. nothing is given to you and i have to work as hard as i can, but there’s lots of excitement. i can’t wait to get started and i feel it’s going to be a fun year.”
sequin steps in
also ahead of the start of thursday’s camp, the spitfires announced that kyla seguin has been hired as the team’s nutritionist and strength and conditioning assistant.
seguin has spent the past two years in ireland where she was a student and worked as a strength and conditioning coach for gaelic football.
jpparker@postmedia.com
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