The Red Wings took something of a leap of faith in drafting Windsor Spitfires forward Pasquale Zito this summer, because Zito didn’t play a meaningful game during the 2020-2021 season. MLive’s Ansar Khan has penned a profile of the Windsor Spitfires forward:
The Detroit Red Wings, with their final pick in this year’s draft, took a chance on a gritty, two-way forward from just across the river who didn’t play in 2020-21 due to the pandemic.
Pasquale Zito is determined to reward their faith.
“He said, ‘I’m going to do everything I can to make it worthwhile’ of us stepping up and picking him. That’s pretty neat to hear,” Kris Draper, Detroit’s director of amateur scouting, said. “For us it was about relationships we trusted. He lost a year of hockey, but we feel over the next couple years he’s going to do everything on and off the ice to make himself ready and turn himself into the prospect we want him to be.”
The Red Wigs selected Zito, a 6-foot, 175-pound left wing, in the sixth round (166th overall), based on his play as a 16-year-old for the Windsor Spitfires in 2019-20 (three goals and 13 points in 46 games) and conversations with the junior club’s front office and training staff.
After the 2020-21 OHL season was canceled due to the pandemic, Zito was relegated to playing pick-up games and working out in the gym to stay in shape.
We need this kid to carry on the tradition of names with Z in them. Some 17 by rough count but only have had 2 Zs in their name.
Let’s go Red Wings