Spitfires open season with a name familiar to Red Wings fans

The 2017 Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires have started their season with nine new players including one with a familiar name.

Detroit born Igor Larionov Jr., 19, shares the same name as his father who won three Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002 playing for the Detroit Red Wings. The hall of famer was in attendance to watch the Spitfires’ season opener Sept. 21, his son’s first game in a Windsor uniform.

“It’s good (to have my father watching me play),” said Larionov Jr. “I’m pretty much used to it. He’s a pretty big guy in hockey, but to me he’s just my dad. I just try to play my best and if he has some pointers or tips I’ll always listen.”

Larionov Jr., who agreed to terms with the Spitfires on a standard Ontario Hockey League player and education package on Sept. 19, was originally a 14th round selection of the Saginaw Spirit (#230 overall) in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

“It’s so easy to say things about your own son,” said Larionov. “But I know he’s got a lot of skill, a lot of talent and a big hockey IQ.”

The Detroit native spent two years with the Honeybaked U18 program before playing 25 games with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season.

“It’s nice (for him) to be back close to Detroit,” said Larionov. “It’s 40 minutes from the rink and kind of like coming back home and playing. Now he’s got to get comfortable and start making things happen on the ice.”

It didn’t take very long for Larionov Jr. to get comfortable as he scored his first goal as a Spitfire less than three minutes into play during the team’s second game of the season Sept. 22 in London.

“It’s a young team now and they’ll be doing some rebuilding process but it will take them 10-12 games to gel and get the chemistry going,” said Larionov. “I could see them playing a good system and playing good as a team.”

Larionov, a 2008 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who is also known as The Professor, said his son is able to anticipate the play of game, seeing the ice well and making the other players better around him.

As one of the older players on the team with prior CHL experience, Larionov Jr. said he wants to help the younger guys and likes to contribute each night to help the team win.

“He’s a gifted player offensively,” said Windsor Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski. “When he’s got (the puck) he’s dangerous. He can bring people to him and distribute the puck and can slow the game down a bit. We needed some skill like that, so it’s good.”

The Spitfires were perfect during their opening week defeating the Saginaw Spirit 3-1, London Knights 5-2 and Guelph Storm 4-0 respectively.

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