The Windsor Spitfires have picked up a commitment from their top import draft pick.
The team announced Monday afternoon that it had signed defenceman Ruben Rafkin to a standard OHL player and education package.
The 17-year-old Finnish player was the number-one pick for Windsor in the 2019 CHL Import Draft. Last season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, Rafkin racked up 90 penalty minutes in 38 games, while scoring two goals for a total of ten points.
Rafkin said joining the Spitfires made the most sense to him at this point.
"I had pro offers in Finland and a good team in the USHL," Rafkin said. "But with the coaching in Windsor, the quality of kids playing there, it made the most sense for me."
Rafkin is expected to take part in the Spitfires training camp when it opens next month, and he said he wants to take full advantage of the opportunities being presented to him.
"I want to be a good teammate and play good hard hockey," Rafkin said. "It's a big season for me. It's my draft year. I want the team to have a big year and if that happens, I think I will have a good year too."
