After an offseason that saw their top defenseman get drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft and a handful of veteran players make their way to the next level of hockey, the 2024 Memorial Cup champions, the Saginaw Spirit, hit the ice to open the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season. With the excitement surrounding the home opener and the Memorial Cup banner raising, the Spirit found themselves on the losing end of an overtime game against the Windsor Spitfires but did end the weekend with two wins to their record.
Game Results
Sept. 25 vs Windsor Spitfires- 5-4 OTL
Sept. 27 @ Soo Greyhounds- 6-4 W
Sept. 28 vs Sarnia Sting- 6-1 W
Misa Starts the Season on Fire
Heading into this season, much has been expected out of 2025 Draft-eligible forward Michael Misa. After being granted exceptional status before the 2022-23 season, he has shown flashes of being able to play at the level that earned him the status but played a bit of a secondary role with the team last season due to all of the veteran players leading the way. Even with that being said, he did finish last season with 75 points.
As one of the 2025 Draft’s top prospects, Misa came out on fire in the first three games of this season. While he has been extremely impressive in the offensive zone right off the bat (seven goals, one assist), his all-around game seems to be taking the next jump. In the Spirit’s three games throughout the opening week, he showed a solid defensive game and was one of the team’s most consistent and relied upon penalty killers.
His offensive game was the clear-cut highlight of the week, as he just took over the game whenever he had the puck on his stick. As one of the more seasoned players on the roster, Misa will be heavily relied upon to take his game to the next level, and his start to the season shows that he has the full capability of doing just that.
Team Defense a Bit Shaky
As mentioned before, there was a lot of roster change in the offseason, with defensemen like Braden Haché and Jorian Donovan moving on from the OHL. Add in the fact that Zayne Parekh missed the first two games of the season while being with the Calgary Flames after being drafted in the first round this year, the team’s defense saw some guys who did not necessarily have the same role as they did last season. This was noticeable at times, as it did seem that the team’s defense lacked at times, and it cost them several times in the first three games of the season.
Related: Saginaw Spirit Have a Tough Act to Follow This Season
With it being the beginning of a new season and with players taking on new roles, it is fully expected that something like this would happen, so the hope is that as the season progresses and the players get more experience and get used to playing with each other, that the kinks will get worked out. On top of that, Parekh was returned to the Spirit ahead of their matchup with the Sting and brought much-welcomed poise and stability to the back end in the Spirit’s 6-1 win. He looked even more confident in the win after spending a good chunk of the preseason with the Flames. He, like Misa, will be looked to help carry a good portion of the load as one of the seasoned, skilled players returning this season.
The Newcomers Fit in Just Fine
The Spirit’s opening night roster consisted of several players who had either not played an OHL game or had played in a minimal capacity. But a few of them have made their mark and seemed to settle in early on. One of these players is Kristian Epperson, who joined the Spirit this season after spending last season with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). He spent time in the preseason on a line with Misa and seemed to build strong chemistry with him, and it transferred over quickly to start the regular season. They were by far the strongest duo in the Spirit’s first three games, with Epperson showing a strong willingness to get involved in the dirty parts of the game and was also paired up with Misa on the penalty kill.
Carson Harmer is another player making their mark this season after a limited role with the Spirit last season. He did spend some time with the team in the regular season but did not see any time in the lineup during their run to the Memorial Cup. To start the season, he has shown that he is ready to take on a full-time role for the team. He was a playmaking machine and a player who created havoc whenever he was on the ice.
Other Notes
- Ethan Hay was named the Spirit’s captain before opening night. He led by example with his strong two-way game and the nonstop energy he brings to the lineup.
- Goaltender Andrew Oke looked shaky to start against the Spitfires but seemed to settle in a bit more as the game went on and played all three games for the team in the season’s opening week.
What’s on Tap for the Spirit
The Spirit are back in action twice this upcoming week (Sept. 30 – Oct. 6). They play the Sting once again on Oct. 4 in Sarnia before returning home the next night (Oct. 5) against the Erie Otters.
