Luca Spagnolo wanted a new challenge when the Halton Hurricanes followed up their SCTA U16 championship and their trip to the OMHA finals in 2018-19 with a fourth-place finish the following season.

So he made the decision to move 30 kilometres south and join the Burlington Eagles for the 2021-22 season. 
 
“I just felt like it was a better opportunity for me,” Spagnolo said of the decision. “Our U16 season didn't really go as well as I thought it would. I mean, home was obviously fantastic to me. I loved all my teammates, and the coaches were great, but I just felt Burlington had a lot more to offer this year. So it would be better for me and my career, and I also felt we could achieve more here.”

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The just turned 18-year-old and his new Eagles teammates did precisely that.
 
Spagnolo led his team in goals (11) and assists (13) and had the second-best points per game in the SCTA this season. Even more impressive that he put up these numbers in just 18 games as Burlington only played 20 times due to Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions a few months ago.
 
His contributions helped the Eagles to first place with 13-3-4 record.

“We were very fortunate to get Luca through the off-season,” Eagles coach Mark Corbett said. “I knew he was a lead player and he wanted to better his career. So bringing him in was a key piece to build off of this team over the summer. And obviously, you've seen through the stats the impact he's had and not just on the ice, but off the ice for our dressing room and our team.”
 
Corbett is in his debut season as a head coach. He also played for Burlington before chasing some opportunities in the Southern Professional Hockey League and European leagues, where he also picked up coaching experience. 
 
His last job was as an assistant coach for the Oakville Rangers.

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“You don't really know the expectations walking into it, especially as a first-year head coach,” Corbett said. “I was fortunate that I had two assistant coaches with me that had a lot of experience and using my playing experience with them really helped. We had a really strong group of players, I think they bought in, and they've helped me along my way, and we've kind of helped each other through the first year of my coaching.”
 
After a 5-1 playoff record, the Eagles clinched a spot in the OMHA Championships taking place this weekend in Oakville. 
 
Spagnolo’s goals are clear.
 
“Win it all, get the red hats,” he said with a smile on his face. “It’s something we've been working towards this whole year. Something we've all looked and dreamed up since we were little kids. It's going to be a big opportunity to get.”