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Saginaw Spirit

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Saginaw Spirit
CitySaginaw, Michigan
LeagueOntario Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionWest
Founded2002 (2002)–03
Home arenaDow Event Center
ColoursMidnight blue, red, silver, white and yellow
         
General managerUnited States Jim Paliafito
Head coachCanada Greg Gilbert
AffiliateLeamington Flyers
Websitewww.saginawspirit.com
Franchise history
1943–47St. Catharines Falcons
1947–62St. Catharines Teepees
1962–76St. Catharines Black Hawks
1976–82Niagara Falls Flyers
1982–02North Bay Centennials
2002–Saginaw Spirit
Pregame Warm-up at Wendler Arena. February 7th, 2003.

The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in 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).

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, renaming it the Saginaw Spirit.

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

The 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.[citation needed]

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. 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.

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

  • 2011-12 - Brandon Saad, William Hanley Trophy -Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year

NHL alumni

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

Current squad

Roster updated as of June 23, 2012

Goaltenders
Number Player Glove Acquired NHL Draft Place of birth
31 Canada Clint Windsor L Trade BAR 2012 2012 Hamilton, Ontario
57 Canada Jake Paterson L Saginaw Spirit 2010 DET 2012 Mississauga, Ontario
Defensemen
Number Player Shoots Acquired NHL Draft Place of birth
3 United States O/A Brandon Archibald - A R Trade SSM 2011 CBJ 2010 Port Huron, Michigan
4 United States Grant Webermin L Trade WSR 2012 2012 Novi, Michigan
24 Canada Steven Strong L Trade BEL 2011 Undrafted Mississauga, Ontario
77 United States Dalton Young L Free Agent 2010 Undrafted Marysville, Michigan
79 Canada Jacub Ringuette L Saginaw Spirit 2010 2012 Goderich, Ontario
92 United States Ramon Lopez R Saginaw Spirit 2011 2013 Tampa, Florida
Forwards
Number Player Shoots Position Acquired NHL Draft Place of birth
5 United States O/A Garrett Ross L LW Free Agent 2009 Undrafted Dearborn, Michigan
8 United States Jimmy Lodge R C Saginaw Spirit 2011 2013 Downingtown, Pennsylvania
9 Canada Justin Kea L C Saginaw Spirit 2010 BUF 2012 Woodville, Ontario
11 Russia Vadim Khlopotov R C Saginaw Spirit 2011 2012 Nizhny Tagil, Russia
15 Canada Eric Locke L C Trade BAR 2012 2012 Toronto, Ontario
16 Canada Terry Trafford L C Saginaw Spirit 2010 2012 Toronto, Ontario
17 Canada O/A Carlos Amestoy R C Trade GUE 2011 Undrafted Toronto, Ontario
18 Canada David Perklin L LW Trade OTT 2012 2013 Mississauga, Ontario
19 Canada Ryan Tuffin L LW Saginaw Spirit 2010 2012 London, Ontario
22 United States O/A Brandon Saad - C R C Saginaw Spirit 2008 CHI 2011 Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
89 United States Vincent Trocheck R C Saginaw Spirit 2009 FLA 2011 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
91 Canada Nick Moutrey L LW Saginaw Spirit 2011 2013 Shelburne, Ontario
95 United States Sam Povorozniouk R C Saginaw Spirit 2011 2013 Northbrook, Illinois

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 207 2010-11
Most goals against 275 2002–03
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Josh Shalla 47 2010-11
Most assists Jordan Skellett 62 2009–10
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 Ryan Daniels 2.94 2006–07
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout 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
2008–09 68 36 24 – 4 4 80 0.588 235 219 2nd West
2009–10 68 34 27 – 4 3 75 0.551 240 230 4th West
2010–11 68 40 22 – 4 2 86 0.632 243 207 1st West
2011–12 68 33 27 – 1 7 74 0.544 259 259 3rd 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.
  • 2008–09 Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to London Knights 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
  • 2009–10 Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2010–11 Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
  • 2011–12 Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to London Knights 4 games to 2 in conference semi-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 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

Saginaw Spirit team bus, as of 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

  1. ^ "Spirit on the Colbert Report Tonight". Saginaw Spirit. 2006-10-03. Archived from the original on 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
  2. ^ Sunaya Sapurji (2007-02-01). "The Steagle has landed". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
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