Two former Meteors selected in NHL draft a ‘sign of things to come’

Within 12 hours of hearing his name called in last week’s 2025 National Hockey League (NHL) draft, Grant Spada was on a plane headed to Tampa Bay to begin the next chapter of his on-ice career.

The 18-year-old defenceman from Fort Erie was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning 212th overall, and is one of two former Fort Erie Meteors to be drafted.

Spada spent last season playing with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)’s Guelph Storm but was on the local Jr. B squad during their historic championship win in 2024.

Andrew MacNeil, also a defenceman, who played with the Meteors the entire 2023-24 season, was taken by the Montreal Canadiens 189th overall. He hails from Cobourg, Ont. and was property of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.

In an interview with Fort Erie Radio, Spada said he knew the Lightning were interested in him, and that he continued to keep his hopes up until the moment late in the draft that his name was announced.

“Every pick they had, I was watching closely,” said Spada, who returned on the weekend from his first training camp with the NHL organization.

“It was an incredible time and I’m nothing but thankful for them,” he said, adding that his starting point in the Tampa Bay system will be playing for the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League.

It was a bit of a whirlwind last week as he was sent to Florida to get down to business right away, but now that he’s back at home in Fort Erie, it’s starting to feel more real, he said.

“I didn’t have time to adjust and think about it too much, but once I got home, it started to sink in,” said Spada, whose father Craig Spada is a former NHL referee.

The last time a Fort Erie Meteors alum was drafted by an NHL team was in 2013 when Andrew Sturtz, from Buffalo, was selected by the Ottawa Senators.

In 2011, Fort Erie’s Trevor Parkes signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings, but was undrafted. He has spent several seasons in Germany in the Deutsch Elite League.

Nik Passero, head coach and general manager of the Fort Erie Meteors, had nothing but praise for Spada and MacNeil when he was interviewed by Fort Erie Radio.

He said Spada is a “huge human being” who is six foot five.

“For a guy that size, he’s a great skater,” said Passero, adding that an area of improvement that likely caught Tampa Bay’s attention was his physical game.

“When you’re that big, you’ve got to be tough,” said Passero, adding that both Spada and MacNeil are “great human beings.”

Passero also believes Spada’s competitiveness rose to the next level after winning the league championship in 2024 with the Meteors.

“That playoff run made him realize what it takes to win,” said Passero.

Asked about what it means to the Fort Erie Meteors organization to see two former players selected in the same NHL draft, Passero agreed it’s rewarding.

“It’s a nice feather in our cap, for sure,” he said. “And I think it’s a sign of things to come.”

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