Saginaw Spirit

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Saginaw Spirit
File:SaginawSpirit.png
CitySaginaw, Michigan
LeagueOntario Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionWest
Founded2002–03
Home arenaThe Dow Event Center
ColoursMidnight blue, red, silver, and yellow
General managerTodd Watson
Head coachTodd Watson
AffiliateLeamington Flyers
Franchise history
1943–47St. Catharines Falcons
1947–62St. Catharines Teepees
1962–76St. Catharines Black Hawks
1976–82Niagara Falls Flyers
1982–02North Bay Centennials
2002–PresentSaginaw Spirit
Pregame Warm-up at Wendler Arena. February 7th, 2003.

The Saginaw Spirit are a junior ice hockey team from Saginaw, Michigan, United States of America, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.

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 after the 2001–02 season to Saginaw and renamed them the Saginaw Spirit.

The team can trace its roots back to St. Catharines, Ontario where it played from 1943-1976, as the Falcons, Teepees and Black Hawks. The franchise won the Memorial Cup in 1954 & 1960. The team also played as the Niagara Falls Flyers from 1976-1982, and as the North Bay Centennials from 1982–2002.

The Saginaw Spirit have done extensive promotions in the 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.

After three rebuilding seasons the Saginaw Spirit clinched their first playoff berth on March 2nd, 2006, but lost in the first round to the Guelph Storm.

The team entered the post season the following two seasons, both times against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Spirit lost to the Greyhounds in six games in the 2007 post season and in four games in the 2008 post season.

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), and spent time coaching the Flint Generals, Saginaw Generals & Kalamazoo Wings all in Michigan. In total, there have been four coaches in Saginaw Spirit history to date.

List of coaches. Numbers of seasons in parentheses.

Players

<font="+1">See complete list of all List of Saginaw Spirit alumni.

Award winners

NHL alumni

Since 2002 the Saginaw Spirit have graduated four players who have played in the National Hockey League.

Current squad

Roster updated as of October 6th, 2008

Goaltenders
Number Player Glove Acquired NHL Draft Place of Birth
30 Canada Joseph Lepera L Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Oakville, Ontario
40 Canada Edward Pasquale L Trade BLV 2007 2009 Toronto, Ontario
Defensemen
Number Player Shoots Acquired NHL Draft Place of Birth
2 United States Brad Walch L Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Saginaw, Michigan
4 Canada Nick Crawford L Saginaw Spirit 2006 BUF 2008 Caledon, Ontario
17 United States Joe Underwood R Trade GUE 2007 Free Agent Canton, Michigan
24 Canada Adam Comrie L Saginaw Spirit 2006 FLA 2008 Kanata, Ontario
26 Jamaica Nicholas Trecapelli R Saginaw Spirit 2007 2010 Kingston, Jamaica
41 Canada Cody Sol L Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Woodstock, Ontario
79 Canada T.J. Brodie R Saginaw Spirit 2006 CGY 2008 Dresden, Ontario
Forwards
Number Player Shoots Position Acquired NHL Draft Place of Birth
Canada Jordan Skellet L LW Trade ERIE 2008 Free Agent London, Ontario
9 Canada O/A Kyle Bochek L C Trade KNG 2008 Free Agent Port Severn, Ontario
11 United States Tyler Murovich L C Free Agent 2007 Free Agent Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
12 Canada Kyle Tront L LW Trade BLV 2008 Free Agent Thunder Bay, Ontario
14 Canada Jordan Szwarz R RW Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Burlington, Ontario
15 Canada Joe Pleckaitis L LW Trade BAR 2007 Free Agent Markham, Ontario
16 Canada Daniel Pachis (injured) L C Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Whitby, Ontario
19 Canada O/A Chris Chappell - A L C Saginaw Spirit 2004 Free Agent Pickering, Ontario
20 Canada Mitch Fillman R RW Free Agent 2007 Free Agent Oakville, Ontario
21 Czech Republic Richard Jarusek L LW Saginaw Spirit 2008 2010 Czech Republic
22 Canada Jason McDonough L LW Trade PTB 2007 Free Agent Etobicoke, Ontario
23 Canada Jordan Paton L C Saginaw Spirit 2006 Free Agent Woodstock, Ontario
27 Canada Kain Allicock L LW Saginaw Spirit 2006 Free Agent Thornhill, Ontario
28 Canada Joh Kavanagh R C Saginaw Spirit 2007 2009 Cambridge, Ontario
67 United States Barry Sanderson R C Trade NIA 2008 Free Agent Dearborn, Michigan
81 Czech Republic Jakub Svoboda R RW Saginaw Spirit 2008 Free Agent Czech Republic
97 United States O/A Jack Combs - A L C Trade KIT 2005 Free Agent St. Louis, Missouri

Team records

Team Records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most Points 91 2006–07
Most Wins 44 2006–07
Most Goals For 291 2006–07
Least Goals For 150 2004–05
Least Goals Against 217 2006–07
Most Goals Against 275 2002–03
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most Goals Ryan McDonough 45 2007–08
Most Assists Tyler Haskins 60 2006–07
Most Points Jack Combs 100 2007–08
Most Points, rookie Jan Mursak 80 2006–07
Most Points, defenseman Patrick McNeill 77 2006–07
Best GAA, goalie Chuck Goddard 2.49 1962–63
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played


Season-by-season results

Regular season

Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shoot Out Loss

Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL SL Points Pct % Goals
For		 Goals
Against		 Standing
2002–03 68 11 45 5 7 – 34 0.250 158 275 5th West
2003–04 68 16 45 3 4 – 39 0.287 161 228 5th West
2004–05 68 18 42 4 4 – 44 0.324 150 260 4th West
2005–06 68 36 30 – 2 0 74 0.544 242 246 2nd West
2006–07 68 44 21 – 0 3 91 0.669 291 217 2nd West
2007–08 68 33 25 – 8 2 76 0.559 234 231 4th West

Playoffs

  • 2002–03 Out of playoffs.
  • 2003–04 Out of playoffs.
  • 2004–05 Out of playoffs.
  • 2005–06 Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2006–07 Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2007–08 Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.

Uniforms and logos

The Saginaw Spirit logo depicts an American bald eagle with the colors of the Stars and Stripes along its neck, on the words "Saginaw Spirit." The uniform scheme is similar to that previously used by the 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 (inset) 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[1] Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle after 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 has 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.[2]

Arena

The Spirit play at Wendler Arena (capacity 5,527), which is part of The Dow Event Center complex in downtown Saginaw. The OHL All-Star Classic was hosted here in 2007. This was the first time in history that the OHL All-Star Game was hosted in an American city. The Arena was formerly home to the Saginaw Gears, Saginaw Generals, Saginaw Hawks, Saginaw Wheels and the Saginaw Lumber Kings.

Capacity = 5,527
Ice size = 192' x 85'

Mid Michigan Spirit

The Saginaw Spirit in partnership with Meijer food stores sponsor the Mid Michigan Spirit. This is a women's hockey club based out of 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. This team once again took second at the MAHA state tournament in Canton, Michigan on March 9th, 2008.

References

  1. ^ "Spirit on the Colbert Report Tonight". Saginaw Spirit. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
  2. ^ Sunaya Sapurji (2007-02-01). "The Steagle has landed". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-02-01.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saginaw_Spirit&oldid=243906309"