Where Are They Now: Windsor Spitfires’ 2010s Part 2 – Hockey Writers –

The 2010s were an experience for the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Windsor Spitfires. From the rebuild to the Memorial Cup, they had significant talent and, as the summer wore on, we wonder – what happened to some of those players?

The 2010s saw the Spitfires adjust to their new home at the WFCU Center (opened in December 2008), host the Memorial Cup and title in 2017, and rebuild before and after. Talented youngsters have also emerged, four of whom we talked about in “Where Are They Now? 2010’s” in November 2020. Now, we look back at four other talents who are making a name for themselves and are still developing in their own way. Here are four other players and where their lives have taken them.

Forward Tom Kuhnhackl

Every season, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) holds the import draft. Until 2025, each team was allowed two players (“Entry”) whose parents or guardians resided outside of Canada or the United States. The rule has changed to three players.

In 2009, the Spitfires signed 17-year-old striker Tom Kuhnhackl from Landshut, Germany. While he spent 2009-10 in Germany with Landshut Cannibals with 2. The Eisenhockey-Bundesliga (now the Deutsche Eishockey Liga), Germany’s second-highest league, came to the OHL in 2010-11 and was an instant fan favorite.

At 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, he skated well, had a good shot, and used his size when he could. He posted 39 goals and 68 points in 63 games and contributed another 23 points in 18 playoff games as they went to the Western Conference Finals (lost by the Owen Sound Attack).

In 2011-12, then-general manager Warren Rychel was looking to the future so he sent Kuhnhackl to the Niagara IceDogs for three second-round picks, a CHL Import future pick, Czech goaltender Jaroslav Pavelka, and the rights to forward Phillip Di Giuseppe (who did not report from the University of Michigan). Kuhnhackl came up with 25 points in 30 games for the IceDogs and another 11 points in 20 playoff games, losing to the London Knights in the OHL championship. That marked the end of his OHL career.

What happened to Kuhnhackl after his OHL days ended? He played in the Pittsburgh Penguins program from 2012-16 in the American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL, and NHL. He stuck in the NHL from 2016-19 with the Penguins and New York Islanders before joining the Islanders’ AHL club in Bridgeport from 2020-21. In 2021, he headed overseas, playing for Skelleftea AIK (of Sweden) from 2021-23 before joining Adler Mannheim in Germany from 2023 until now. Last season, he was their co-captain and had 21 goals and 32 points in 107 games.

Forward Kenny Ryan

Rychel drafted Franklin, MI forward Kenny Ryan in the seventh round of the 2007 OHL Draft. However, the youngster was leaning towards the American way and played for the US National Team Development Program for two seasons.

In 2009-10, he made the jump to the OHL and made rapid waves. At 6-foot, 205-pounds, he was a 200-foot power forward who put up 35 points in 50 regular season games and another five points in 19 playoff games as the club won the 2010 Memorial Cup. He returned in the 2010-11 final season, adding 60 points in 63 games, and 12 playoff points in 18 games. That marked the end of the OHL playing days of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Where did Ryan end up after leaving the Spitfires? He spent from 2011-14 in the Maple Leafs system, between the AHL and ECHL. In the next four seasons, he was with different AHL and ECHL clubs until he went to Switzerland to play 38 games (38 points) for HC Thurgau.

Since then, he joined the Kaizen Sports Agency and was certified with the NHL Players’ Association in February 2025. For the past two seasons, he has been with the Cleveland Barons 15U AAA and 16U AAA as the Director of Player Development and, last season, he also coached their 13U AAA team.

Defender Nick Ebert

In the 2010 OHL Draft, the Mississauga (now Brampton) Steelheads drafted defenseman Nick Ebert in the first round of the Waterloo Blackhawks Jr. A. However, he didn’t report to the group, so Rychel sneaked in and got his rights.

Ebert joined the Spitfires as a top defensive prospect. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he could generate a lot of offense, throw physically, and play strong in his own end. He played over 200 games for the team from 2010-13 with 136 points. However, when the Guelph Storm would travel to the Memorial Tournament in 2013-14, Rychel saw an opportunity to rebuild and sent Ebert (and his son, Kerby Rychel) to the Storm in December 2013.

What happened to Ebert after he moved to the Hurricane? He went on a great run with them, winning the OHL title and heading to the Memorial Cup. Unfortunately, they lost the championship to the Edmonton Oil Kings, marking the end of his young career. However, now it had moved on. Although he was jokingly called “Mr. Irrelevant” for being the last player selected in the 2012 NHL Draft (211th overall by the Los Angeles Kings), he spent 2014-17 with various AHL teams before heading overseas.

From 2017-19, he spent 44 games in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and 56 games in the Swedish Hockey League, playing for Orebro HK. After a brief return to the AHL (Hartford Wolf Pack) in 2019-20, he returned to Orebro HK from 2020-22.

Nick Ebert will be back again! Här vill han skikka en hälsning till alla som gøred hans ätterkomst i Örebroträyan sögg. pic.twitter.com/jBm819Elwg

— 14-3 Örebro (@143Orebro) January 19, 2021

He then played for Avtomoblist Yekaterinburg (KHL) until 2025, where he joined CSKA Moskva (KHL) last season. He has three points in six games and two more points in nine playoff games.

Forward Derek Lanoue

We finish this look back with striker Derek Lanoue. While some of the players we talked about were drafted in the OHL, his story is different.

In 2009, Lanoue was a free agent for the Spitfires’ Prospect and Training camps. At 6-foot, 187-pounds, he wasn’t an intimidating presence but he didn’t need to be. After 42 points in 51 games with the LaSalle Vipers Jr. B (Spitfires club) in 2008-09, joined the Spitfires roster for the 2009-10 Memorial Cup season. He even had six points in 39 games and appeared in all four Memorial Cup games. In 2010-11, he added another 17 points in 55 games, continuing to gain ice time and showing great intelligence on both ends of the ice. However, that was his last season before moving on.

Where did Lanoue go after leaving the OHL? He spent from 2011-14 with the University of Windsor Lancers where he scored 22 goals and 42 points in 61 games. After that, he put away his skates and crutches and went to the University of Ottawa to become a doctor. He studied there from 2015-19 and became a medical resident in Ottawa. Since then, he has been a Chief Fellow at McGill University in the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy.

We honor heroes in our community: Dr. Derek Lanoue, one of the most versatile players to ever wear the #BlueAndGold, and a key member of the 2013 Queen’s Cup squad. Derek, an active alumni, now uses his skills as a first responder in Ottawa. #FrontLineHeroes pic.twitter.com/UQHVw2RXAP

— Lancer Men’s Hockey (@WindsorMHKY) May 24, 2020

Although making it to the NHL is often a dream, these four players have achieved great success in various walks of life. It’s great to see them, and we wish them all the best for the future.