A.J. Spellacy: Two-Sport Athlete & A Potential Sleeper in the 2024 NHL Draft

Windsor Spitfires forward Anthony (A.J.) Spellacy grew up playing football and hockey and left scholarship offers from NCAA football programs to pursue his hockey career.

Did you know that No. 8 on the Windsor Spitfires played football and hockey growing up? Who doesn’t love a two-sport athlete?

A.J. Spellacy credited his recent success at the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo last week to his football-playing background. “I think all the training I did while playing football definitely helps me out in events like these,” said Spellacy.

The Ohio native grew up not just on the ice but also on the gridiron where he played as a free safety and wide receiver. While answering a question from a media member on whether he thinks his time playing football has helped him with the physical aspects of hockey and in taking a hit, he let out a big smile, laughed, and said, “Yeah, I definitely think so.”

A.J. left five NCAA division football scholarship offers on the table before he signed with Windsor in the OHL, including offers from Iowa and Illinois State. 

Spellacy mentioned that this past year was the first season where he didn’t play both football and hockey, saying that he decided he wanted to focus more on his future and a potential career on the ice.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFug9u14skA[/embed]

Ranked 72nd by NHL Central Scouting, A.J. may have raised his draft stock in the showcase of his athleticism during the fitness tests at the combine.

He finished in the top 10 in six tests and his 119.3” score in the Horizontal jump would’ve put him first if he was a participant at the last two combines. However, Eric (E.J.) Emery had him beat when he did his best Michael Jordan impression and almost cleared the measuring board.

Spellacy’s biggest strength in his game is his explosive speed. With the puck, he can separate himself from defenders in a flash and brings a ton of value on the penalty kill and to a team that likes to attack off the rush. Without the puck, he uses that speed and motor to catch opponents and not allow any easy ice out there.

The cameraman couldn't even keep up with Spellacy's burst of speed. It makes sense that he excelled in the 30-second Wingate bike test. His peak power output (an indication of how explosive an athlete is from the waist down) ranked No. 1 at 18.3 watts per kilogram.

A.J. started his draft year out by collecting a bronze medal with Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Unfortunately, his season in Windsor was met with a lot of hurdles. But like a great athlete, he leaped over those hurdles one leg at a time, and never let his work ethic falter.

He finished the season with 21 goals and 38 points in 67 games. NHL fans will look at that production and think, “Why would we want to draft him?” Well I’ll tell you why.

Spellacy is the type of player that fans fall in love with when they watch him play. He hits, blocks shots, never quits on effort, and plays with some bite. I should mention he does all of this while being 6-foot-2.5” and 200 pounds — his measurements at the combine.

The Windsor Spitfires made note of A.J.'s incredible work ethic and awarded him the team award for the Hardest Working Spitfire of the Year.

He’s a responsible two-way center (projects to be a winger unless his faceoffs improve) with many qualities of what it takes to be an effective bottom six checking forward in the NHL.

Spellacy’s playmaking and ability to create scoring chances for his teammates will need to improve and he doesn’t project to be a player who will be a top point producer. Unless there are more offensive skills hidden in his game just waiting to break out.

Either way, A.J. should go in the middle rounds of the draft with one lucky team potentially seizing a future NHL checking forward in the recently retired football player. His play style along with his athleticism should help him translate to the pros.