During last season’s trade deadline, the Vancouver Canucks made many headline-grabbing trades. Like acquiring Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a first and second-round pick. But before this trade, general manager Patrik Allvin made a small move to acquire prospect Josh Bloom from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Riley Stillman. Bloom was selected late in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft and was signed by Buffalo to an entry-level deal after the 2021-22 season.
Josh Bloom’s 2023-24 Season
Bloom spent the majority of his OHL (Ontario Hockey League) career with the Saginaw Spirit. He totaled 91 points in 140 games with the Spirit and scored 55 points in 49 games once he was traded to the North Bay Battalion last season. After last season, he finished four years of junior hockey and was eligible to play for the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL (American Hockey League). Additionally, he earned a spot in the Abbotsford lineup.
However, points did not start coming for Bloom as easily as they did in junior. He played a total of 14 games in Abbotsford but was only able to produce a single assist and no goals. The Abbotsford staff decided to send him down to the ECHL.
Although being sent down from the AHL was disappointing, Bloom learned a valuable lesson. He learned how hard it is to play professional hockey at 20 years old. Players are older and faster than in junior and there is less room to make mistakes. He still needs to take a few more steps in his development before he is ready for the professional level. After eight games in the ECHL, Bloom decided to move back to the OHL, and one team had the perfect situation for him: The Saginaw Spirit.
What Made Him Choose to Go Back to Saginaw
“That comfortability really helped me out,” Bloom said about his decision to come back to Saginaw. “Having the staff still in place from when I played here and a lot of the same names and faces. I think comfortability helped me through the uncomfortable process.” He was also very excited to reunite with his former coach Chris Lazarey and general manager Dave Drinkill.
“It was pretty special. When I gave them a call and said I was coming back you could tell that there were lots of emotions coming from both sides.”
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Saginaw was the perfect fit for Bloom since he has spent the majority of his junior career with the organization. The Spirit are also hosting the Memorial Cup this season and have an automatic bye into the iconic event. The club also went out and acquired several other key players for their team, like Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck and Ottawa Senators prospect Jorian Donovan. They also have key players on their roster from when he played there like, Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matias Sapovaliv, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh, and 2025 NHL Draft prospect Michael Misa.
Bloom has been able to bring all of his experiences with him to the OHL and help Saginaw become one of the top teams in the league.
“[The AHL] was great,” said Bloom. There were tons of learning experiences and a lot of things I’m bringing back to junior and back to my game in general.”
Bloom has already asserted himself nicely into the Spirit lineup scoring 35 points in 32 games and has helped Saginaw earn the top spot in their division and second place in the Western Conference.
The Goal Is to Be in Abbotsford Full-Time Next Season
But Bloom knows what the end goal is for him, which is to make it to the NHL one day. He knows that he can take all of the lessons that he learned this season and apply them to next season’s training camp when he hopes to earn a permanent spot on the Abbotsford Canucks and he feels that he can earn that spot.
“If you look at the stats, I was an everyday regular [in Abbotsford], which is hard to do in the American League at 20 years old. I think for me it’s more about putting on that extra weight, getting comfortable with the speed and coming in next year to solidify my spot for the full season.”
Bloom now looks forward to finishing his final season of junior hockey as the Saginaw Spirit head to the playoffs and host the Memorial Cup in May.
