SPITFIRE SPOTLIGHT – Interview with Windsor Spitfire Jean-Cristoph Lemieux

In this edition of SPITFIRE SPOTLIGHT, John Humphrey, Ontario Hockey League editor for In Play! Magazine, speaks with Spitfire rookie centre, Jean-Cristoph (JC) Lemieux.

16-year-old Jean-Cristoph (JC) Lemieux is in his first season with the Windsor Spitfires. He was selected in the second round, 22nd overall, from the Quinte Red Devils U16 AAA in the 2024 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

The 5′ 11, 175-pound centre is a Belleville, Ontario native. He has scored four goals and added three assists in his first 11 career games with the Spitfires. He also scored two goals and added five assists in five games while winning the gold medal with Team Canada – White – at the 2024 World Under Hockey Challenge in Sarnia earlier this month. Lemieux notched a goal and an assist in the 3-1 over Team Canada – Red in the gold medal game on November 9.

In Play! Magazine “How has your rookie season with the Spitfires been going so far?”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “It’s been great! The coaches and my teammates are amazing and I’ve been learning a lot. We’re got a great team and we are going to get better because we work so hard.”

In Play! Magazine: “What’s your style of play? Can you describe your game for someone who has not seen you play before?”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “I’m an offensive player and I love to score and set up my linemates and teammates to score too. I work hard every shift and I’m always trying to get better.

“I have to work on all areas of my game but I am focusing on my defensive zone play right now.”

In Play! Magazine: “Talk about your experience with Team Canada – White – at the 2017 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Sarnia.”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “It was an unreal feeling to win the gold medal for Canada! I had never played with most of my teammates before but we came together as a team quickly and it was awesome meeting so many great players. It was just awesome!”

In Play! Magazine: “Who were your linemates and what was your role on Team Canada – White?”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “I got to play with most of my forward teammates at some point during the games. But I did get to play a lot with Adam Valentini (Team Canada – White leading scorer and tournament leading scorer), Logan Hawery (London Knights) and sometimes Beckett Edwards (Sarnia Sting). I took a regular shift and sometimes I got to play on the powerplay and penalty kill too.”

In Play! Magazine: “How did you like playing with your Spitfire teammate, Ethan Belchetz, on Team Canada – White and against another Spitfire teammate, Carter Hicks, on Team Canada – Red?”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “I’ve already gotten to known Ethan well both on and off the ice and he is a great guy and a great player so it was a lot of fun playing with him in the tournament. Carter Hicks is a hard guy to play against in any game because he has a great compete level.”

In Play! Magazine “Did playing the tournament so close to home make the gold medal and the entire experience even more special for you?”

Jean-Cristoph Lemieux: “It did! My mother and sister went to the games and my billets with the Spitfires came up for a game too. Playing in front of them and seeing them up in the stands was exciting for me.”