Roman Shtefan's road to the Ontario Hockey League will be far different from the one taken by his father, Pavel Shtefan, a former Windsor Spitfire. The 16-year-old centre for the Windsor Jr. Spitfires is considered a consensus top 100 pick for this year's OHL Draft, which will be held Friday and Saturday in Kingston.
Excitement and Preparation
“I’m pretty excited,” Roman said. He has worked his way up the Canadian minor hockey system to get to this point. It was a much different path for his father, who was plopped into North America in 1997 from his native Ukraine in hopes of following his hockey dream.
Pavel's Difficult Journey
“It was quite difficult time,” Pavel, now 46, said. “It was just kind of hockey game, and figuring out by gestures or a (white) board what they wanted me to do. Zero knowledge of the (English) language and it was pretty tough at the start.”
Pavel's arrival in North America didn't land in Windsor. He played junior B in Cambridge in 1997-98 when his agent could not gain his release from his Russian team. He spent some time in Springfield, Missouri where Tony Curtale was coaching before being hired by the Spitfires.
“I skated with (Curtale) before I played junior B in Cambridge,” Pavel said. “For three weeks in Springfield. I’m assuming that’s how he liked me when I was just practicing with him.”
Curtale, who was serving as Spitfires’ head coach and general manager the following season, traded a seventh-round pick to Sarnia to draft Pavel in the first round of the 1998 CHL Import Draft and he finally got his release to play in Windsor.
“At that time, I was import draft and don’t have any idea when I get drafted, where I’m going, it’s all new for me, especially being in the country less than a year,” Pavel said.
From Spitfire to Fatherhood
The Spitfires traded Pavel to Erie in his overage season and he finished his OHL career in Oshawa, but Windsor became home after his parents followed him to Windsor. Pavel, who had 31 goals in two seasons with the Spitfires, went on to play for St. Clair College. When Roman was born in 2010, he had hopes his son would come to love the game as much as he did.
“I can remember when Roman was born, I wanted him to try and play hockey and hopefully he would like that,” Pavel said. “Later, when more time passed by 13 or 14, you see where he stands and see it’s more realistic that he would have a chance to make it.”
Roman's Rise
Roman topped the Jr. Spitfires in scoring this season with 29 goals in 30 games and 53 points. “It’s been a dream since U14 when I wanted to try and play in the OHL and I’ve been focused on that,” the five-foot-nine, 170-pound Roman said. “I try to read plays and try to create plays for myself and scoring opportunities for my teammates.”
When he sees how the draft process now unfolds, Pavel thinks he might have had it a little easier than his son. “Me coming in, I came in as an 18-year-old,” Pavel said. “I made the team and it wasn’t as stressful where I’m seeing now what kids have to go through.”
