Saginaw Spirit

2025-07-08T23:36:22Z

2001:56A:F2C4:E100:844D:E770:54A4:FE0: /* NHL alumni */

{{short description|Ontario Hockey League team in Saginaw, Michigan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox hockey team
| team = Saginaw Spirit
| color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00285D 5px solid; border-bottom:#BF2F38 5px solid;
| color text = #000000
| logo = Saginaw Spirit Logo.svg
| logosize = 230px
| city = [[Saginaw, Michigan]]
| league = [[Ontario Hockey League]]
| conference = Western
| division = West
| founded = [[2002–03 OHL season|2002–03]]
| arena = [[Dow Event Center]]
| colors = Midnight blue, red, silver, white and yellow {{Color box|#00285D}} {{Color box|#BF2F38}} {{Color box|silver}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{Color box|#FDB827}}
| owner =
| GM = Dave Drinkill
| coach = Chris Lazary
| website = {{url|saginawspirit.com}}
| affiliates =
| name1 = [[St. Catharines Falcons (1943–1947)|St. Catharines Falcons]]
| dates1 = 1943–1947
| name2 = [[St. Catharines Teepees]]
| dates2 = 1947–1962
| name3 = [[St. Catharines Black Hawks]]
| dates3 = 1962–1976
| name4 = [[Niagara Falls Flyers]]
| dates4 = 1976–1982
| name5 = [[North Bay Centennials]]
| dates5 = 1982–2002
| name6 = Saginaw Spirit
| dates6 = 2002–present
| championships = [[Memorial Cup]] '''1''' ([[2024 Memorial Cup|2024]])
|uniform_image=OHL-Uniform-SAG.png}}

[[File:Wendler arena pregame.jpg|thumb|Pregame warm-up at Wendler Arena]]
The '''Saginaw Spirit''' are a [[Junior ice hockey#Major junior|major junior]] [[ice hockey]] team based in [[Saginaw, Michigan|Saginaw]], [[Michigan]]. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the [[Ontario Hockey League]] (OHL), one of the Major Junior leagues of the [[Canadian Hockey League]] (CHL). In 2024, the team won the [[2024 Memorial Cup|Memorial Cup]], their first championship since the franchise moved to Saginaw in 2002, and became only the third American team to win the Memorial Cup.<ref>[https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/spirit-beat-knights-in-nailbiter-to-win-memorial-cup/ Spirit beat Knights in nail-biter to win Memorial Cup] ''SportsNet'', June 2, 2024</ref>

==History==
The Saginaw Spirit were born when Dick Garber, the owner of several local [[automobile]] dealerships, purchased the [[North Bay Centennials]] and moved the team to Saginaw after the 2001–02 season. Saginaw Spirit was named by an elementary school student attending Handley Elementary after a contest was held to name the new coming team.

The team traces its roots back to [[St. Catharines]], [[Ontario]], where it played as the Falcons, Teepees, and Black Hawks from 1943 to 1976. It won two [[Memorial Cup]] championships as the Teepees, in 1954 and 1960. In 1976, the franchise moved to nearby [[Niagara Falls, Ontario|Niagara Falls]], where it was known as the Flyers. In 1982, the team was moved again, this time to [[North Bay, Ontario|North Bay]], and renamed the Centennials, where it remained until moving to Saginaw in 2002.

The Spirit have done extensive promotions in the [[Central Michigan|Mid-Michigan]] area, increasing their fan base and season ticket-holder numbers. The Spirit have one of the highest attendance rates in the Ontario Hockey League.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}}

After three rebuilding seasons, the Spirit clinched their first playoff berth on March 2, 2006, but lost in the first round to the [[Guelph Storm]]. Led by Todd Watson, they made the playoffs the following two seasons, but lost to the division rival [[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]] both times, in six games in 2007 and in four games in 2008. In 2009, the Spirit won their first playoff series since relocating to Saginaw, sweeping Guelph in four games. They were then swept in the second round by the [[London Knights]].

On December 29, 2013, the Spirit and the [[Windsor Spitfires]] played the first ever outdoor game in Ontario Hockey League history. The game was played at [[Comerica Park]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. The Spitfires won the game 6–5 in front of a shortly lived [[Canadian Hockey League]] record of 25,749 spectators, surpassed later that night by the [[London Knights]] and [[Plymouth Whalers]] at the same venue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/12/29/spits-top-spirit-6-5-at-comerica-park/|title=Spits top Spirit 6-5 at Comerica Park|date=December 29, 2013|first=Jeff|last=Parker|work=Windsor Star|publisher=Postmedia|access-date=July 28, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saginawspirit.com/outdoorgame|title=OHL Doubleheader Outdoor Game|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207081350/http://www.saginawspirit.com/outdoorgame|archive-date=December 7, 2013|url-status=live|website=Saginaw Spirit|publisher=Canadian Hockey League}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/article/hockeytown-winter-festival-participants-gear-up-for-milestone-event/144793|title=OHL set for Hockeytown Winter Festival|date=June 6, 2013|website=Ontario Hockey League|publisher=Canadian Hockey League|access-date=July 28, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=697994|title=Windsor tops Saginaw in first outdoor game|first=Corey|last=Masisak|date=December 29, 2013|website=NHL.com|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=July 28, 2017}}</ref>

In March 2023, the CHL announced the Spirit as hosts of the [[2024 Memorial Cup]], granting them an automatic berth. This was the first time that the United States hosted a [[Memorial Cup]] since the [[Spokane Chiefs]] in [[1998 Memorial Cup|1998]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chl.ca/article/saginaw-host-2024-memorial-cup-presented-kia|title=Saginaw to host 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Kia|date=March 29, 2023|work=Canadian Hockey League|access-date=July 4, 2023}}</ref> The Spirit won the championship over the [[London Knights]], becoming only the third American team to win the Memorial Cup.

==Coaches==
The first coach in Saginaw Spirit history was Dennis Desrosiers. He was well known to local fans, with many years of hockey experience in Michigan. As a player, he spent 10 years for the [[Saginaw Gears (IHL)|Saginaw Gears]] (IHL), and spent time coaching the [[Flint Generals]], Saginaw Generals & [[Kalamazoo Wings]] all in Michigan.

''List of coaches. Numbers of seasons in parentheses.''

*'''2002–03''' – [[Dennis Desrosiers]] (2)
*'''2003–04''' – [[Dennis Desrosiers]] / [[Moe Mantha Jr.|Moe Mantha]]
*'''2004–05''' – [[Doug Lidster]] / [[Bob Mancini]]
*'''2005–07''' – [[Bob Mancini]] (3)
*'''2007–11''' – [[Todd Watson]] (5)
*'''2011-12''' – [[Todd Watson]] / [[Greg Gilbert]]
*'''2012–16''' – [[Greg Gilbert]] fired mid-season
*'''2016''' – Moe Mantha (interim)
*'''2016–17''' – [[Spencer Carbery]]
*'''2017–18''' – Troy Smith
*'''2018–present''' – Chris Lazary

==Players==

===Award winners===
*''2003–04'' – '''[[Patrick McNeill]]''', [[Jack Ferguson Award]] - 1st overall OHL Priority Draft Selection
*''2005–06'' – '''Ryan Daniels''', [[F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy]] - Best Rookie GAA
*''2005–06'' – '''Craig Goslin''', [[OHL Executive of the Year]]
*''2006–07'' – '''[[Tom Pyatt]]''', [[William Hanley Trophy]] - Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year
*''2006–07'' – '''Craig Goslin''', [[OHL Executive of the Year]]
*''2011–12'' – '''[[Brandon Saad]]''', William Hanley Trophy - Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year
*''2011–12'' – '''[[Greg Gilbert]]''', [[Matt Leyden Trophy]] - Coach of the Year
*''2015–16'' – '''[[Will Petschenig]]''', [[Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy]] - Humanitarian of the Year
*''2024–25'' – '''[[Michael Misa]]''', [[CHL Top Scorer Award]] and [[Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy]] - Top scorer

===Retired numbers===
*89 – [[Vincent Trocheck]]
*22 – [[Brandon Saad]]

===NHL alumni===
{{Div col|colwidth=12em}}
*[[Cody Bass]]
*[[Paul Bissonnette]]
*[[Chris Breen]]
*[[T. J. Brodie]]
*[[Ben Chiarot]]
*[[Matt Corrente]]
*[[Damien Giroux]]
*[[Filip Hronek]]
*[[John McFarland (ice hockey)|John McFarland]]
*[[Ryan McLeod]]
*[[Pavel Mintyukov]]
*[[Jan Mursak]]
*[[Ryan O'Marra]]
*[[Jamie Oleksiak]]
*[[Zayne Parekh]]
*[[Cole Perfetti]]
*[[Geoff Platt]]
*[[Dalton Prout]]
*[[Tom Pyatt]]
*[[Brandon Saad]]
*[[Michael Sgarbossa]]
*[[Ilya Solovyov]]
*[[Mitchell Stephens (ice hockey)|Mitchell Stephens]]
*[[Jordan Szwarz]]
*[[Chris Thorburn]]
*[[Owen Tippett]]
*[[Vincent Trocheck]]
{{Div col end}}

==Season results==
'''''Legend:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SL = Shoot-out losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

{| class="wikitable"
|bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|'''[[Memorial Cup]] champions'''
|bgcolor="#B3FFB3"|'''[[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]] champions'''
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|'''OHL runners-up'''
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Season || GP || W || L || T || OTL || SL || Pts || Win % || GF || GA || Standing || Playoffs
|-
|[[2002–03 OHL season|2002–03]] || 68 || 11 || 45 || 5 || 7 || — || 34 || 0.250 || 158 || 275 || 5th West || Did not qualify
|-
|[[2003–04 OHL season|2003–04]] || 68 || 16 || 45 || 3 || 4 || — || 39 || 0.287 || 161 || 228 || 5th West || Did not qualify
|-
|[[2004–05 OHL season|2004–05]] || 68 || 18 || 42 || 4 || 4 || — || 44 || 0.324 || 150 || 260 || 4th West || Did not qualify
|-
|[[2005–06 OHL season|2005–06]] || 68 || 36 || 30 || — || 2 || 0 || 74 || 0.544 || 242 || 246 || 2nd West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Guelph Storm]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2006–07 OHL season|2006–07]] || 68 || 44 || 21 || — || 0 || 3 || 91 || 0.669 || 291 || 217 || 2nd West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–2
|-
|[[2007–08 OHL season|2007–08]] || 68 || 33 || 25 || — || 8 || 2 || 76 || 0.559 || 234 || 231 || 4th West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2008–09 OHL season|2008–09]] || 68 || 36 || 24 || — || 4 || 4 || 80 || 0.588 || 235 || 219 || 2nd West || '''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Guelph Storm]]) 4–0 Lost conference semifinal ([[London Knights]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2009–10 OHL season|2009–10]] || 68 || 34 || 27 || — || 4 || 3 || 74 || 0.544 || 240 || 230 || 4th West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Kitchener Rangers]]) 4–2
|-
|[[2010–11 OHL season|2010–11]] || 68 || 40 || 22 || — || 4 || 2 || 86 || 0.632 || 243 || 207 || '''1st West''' || '''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Guelph Storm]]) 4–2 Lost conference semifinal ([[Windsor Spitfires]]) 4–2
|-
|[[2011–12 OHL season|2011–12]] || 68 || 33 || 27 || — || 1 || 7 || 74 || 0.544 || 259 || 259 || 3rd West || '''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Sarnia Sting]]) 4–2 Lost conference semifinal ([[London Knights]]) 4–2
|-
|[[2012–13 OHL season|2012–13]] || 68 || 32 || 29 || — || 4 || 3 || 71 || 0.522 || 250 || 264 || 4th West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[London Knights]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2013–14 OHL season|2013–14]] || 68 || 33 || 30 || — || 4 || 1 || 71 || 0.522 || 254 || 248 || 3rd West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Erie Otters]]) 4–1
|-
|[[2014–15 OHL season|2014–15]] || 68 || 29 || 36 || — || 2 || 1 || 61 || 0.449 || 212 || 271 || 3rd West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2015–16 OHL season|2015–16]] || 68 || 24 || 37 || — || 4 || 3 || 55 || 0.404 || 209 || 282 || 4th West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Erie Otters]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2016–17 OHL season|2016–17]] || 68 || 27 || 32 || — || 7 || 2 || 63 || 0.463 || 204 || 248 || 5th West || Did not qualify
|-
|[[2017–18 OHL season|2017–18]] || 68 || 29 || 30 || — || 9 || 0 || 67 || 0.493 || 196 || 238 || 4th West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–0
|-
|[[2018–19 OHL season|2018–19]] || 68 || 45 || 17 || — || 3 || 3 || 96 || 0.706 || 294 || 218 || '''1st West''' || '''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Sarnia Sting]]) 4–0 '''Won''' conference semifinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–2 Lost conference final ([[Guelph Storm]]) 4–3
|-
|[[2019–20 OHL season|2019–20]] || 62 || 41 || 16 || — || 3 || 2 || 87 || 0.702 || 289 || 225 || '''1st West''' || bgcolor="#CCCCCC"|''Playoffs cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
|[[2020-21 OHL season|2020–21]] || colspan="12" bgcolor="#CCCCCC"|''Season cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
|[[2021–22 OHL season|2021–22]] || 68 || 24 || 43 || — || 1 || 0 || 49 || 0.360 || 234 || 305 || 5th West || Did not qualify
|-
|[[2022–23 OHL season|2022–23]] || 68 || 36 || 27 || — || 3 || 2 || 77 || 0.566 || 244 || 244 || 3rd West || '''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Flint Firebirds]]) 4–3 Lost conference semifinal ([[Sarnia Sting]] 4–0
|-
|[[2023–24 OHL season|2023–24]] || 68 || 50 || 16 || — || 1 || 1 || 102 || 0.750 || 303 || 215 || '''1st West''' || bgcolor="#FFBBBB"|'''Won''' conference quarterfinal ([[Owen Sound Attack]]) 4–0 '''Won''' conference semifinal ([[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]]) 4–3 Lost conference final ([[London Knights]]) 4–2 '''2nd place''' in [[2024 Memorial Cup|Memorial Cup]] round-robin '''Won''' Memorial Cup semifinal ([[Moose Jaw Warriors]]) 7–1 '''Won Memorial Cup final ([[London Knights]]) 4–3'''
|-
|[[2024–25 OHL season|2024–25]] || 68 || 38 || 27 || — || 2 || 1 || 79 || 0.581 || 324 || 274 || 2nd West || Lost conference quarterfinal ([[Erie Otters]]) 4-1
|}

==Uniforms and logos==
The Saginaw Spirit logo depicts an American [[bald eagle]] with the colors of the [[Flag of the United States|Stars and Stripes]] along its neck, on the words "Saginaw Spirit." The uniform scheme is similar to that previously used by the [[USA Hockey|U.S.A. national team]]. The home jerseys are white backgrounds with navy blue sleeves and red trim. The away jerseys are navy blue backgrounds with red sleeves and white trim. The Saginaw third jersey has a red background with navy blue sleeves and white trim, bearing across the chest the word "Saginaw" spelled diagonally downwards from left to right.

===Mascots===
Saginaw's main mascot is "Sammy Spirit," resembling an American [[bald eagle]]. The team held a vote on their website to name a new secondary mascot for the 2006–07 season. The mascot was named<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saginawspirit.com/ss/home.nsf/public/87F6C36ABD6B6B90852571FC0074AE03 |title=Spirit on the Colbert Report Tonight |publisher=Saginaw Spirit |date=October 3, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209094236/http://www.saginawspirit.com/ss/home.nsf/public/87F6C36ABD6B6B90852571FC0074AE03 |archive-date=February 9, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle'' after [[Stephen Colbert (character)|Stephen Colbert]]. Colbert had promoted the contest on his show, ''[[The Colbert Report]]''. After naming the mascot after Colbert, the Spirit won seven straight games before losing to the [[Sarnia Sting]] on October 20. Since then, ''The Colbert Report'' had featured ongoing comedy sketches related to the team, the mascot, and other teams in the Ontario Hockey League, especially the [[Oshawa Generals]], and [[Oshawa]], [[Ontario]] [[mayor]] [[John Gray (Oshawa politician)|John Gray]]. At one game, Spirit fans threw copies of [[General Motors]]' annual report, a reference to the fact that GM, the Generals sponsor, having poor earnings at the time. As a result of losing the game, the mayor of Oshawa created Stephen Colbert day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cc.com/video-clips/z0b9vz/the-colbert-report-stephen-colbert-day|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816122119/http://www.cc.com/video-clips/z0b9vz/the-colbert-report-stephen-colbert-day|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 16, 2016|title=Stephen Colbert Day - the Colbert Report|date=January 30, 2007 }}</ref>

==Arena==
The Spirit play at Wendler Arena (capacity 5,527), which is part of [[Dow Event Center|The Dow Event Center]] complex in downtown Saginaw. The OHL All-Star Classic was hosted here in 2007, the first time that the event was hosted in an American city.<ref>[http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/spirit.htm Wendler Arena at the OHL Arena & Travel Guide]</ref>

==Radio and TV==
Games can be heard live on [[WSGW-FM]] (100.5 FM) with Dillon Clark on play-by-play joined by Dennis Desrosiers and Domenic Papa on color commentary.<ref>[https://saginawspirit.com/radio Radio Broadcast] SaginawSpirit.com</ref><ref>[https://saginawspirit.com/article/spirit-fm-talk-sports-wsgw-100-5-extend-radio-broadcasting-partnership-2020-21-season Spirit, FM Talk and Sports WSGW 100.5 extend radio broadcasting partnership through 2020-21 season] SaginawSpirit.com</ref>

Reruns of games can be viewed on [[WNEM-TV|WNEM-DT2]] ("WNEM TV5 Plus").<ref>[https://saginawspirit.com/wnem5-tv-broadcasts WNEM5+ Saginaw Spirit Rewind] SaginawSpirit.com</ref> Live telecasts are streamed online via CHL TV in the U.S. and Canada and aired on [[Rogers Cable]] and [[Cogeco]] via the OHL Action Pak in Canada.<ref>[https://ohlwriters.me/2021/09/21/ohl-unveils-2021-22-regional-television-broadcast-schedule-details/ OHL UNVEILS 2021-22 REGIONAL TELEVISION BROADCAST SCHEDULE DETAILS] ''OHL Writers'', September 21, 2021</ref>

==Mid Michigan Spirit==
[[File:Saginaw Spirit team bus.jpg|thumb|Saginaw Spirit team bus in October 2011]]
The Saginaw Spirit in partnership with [[Meijer]] food stores sponsor the Mid Michigan Spirit, a women's hockey club based in [[Midland, Michigan]]. The 16U team took second at the MAHA state tournament during the 2006–2007 season. A 16U team moved up to 19U for the 2007–2008 season and once again took second at the MAHA state tournament in [[Canton, Michigan]] on March 9, 2008.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.saginawspirit.com/ www.saginawspirit.com] Saginaw Spirit official site
*[http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/ Ontario Hockey League] Official web site
*[http://www.chl.ca/ Canadian Hockey League] Official web site

{{Saginaw Spirit}}
{{OHL}}
{{Michigan Sports}}

[[Category:2002 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Amateur ice hockey teams in Michigan]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2002]]
[[Category:Ontario Hockey League teams]]
[[Category:Sports in Saginaw, Michigan]]

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Saginaw Spirit