Michael Misa (born February 16, 2007) is a Canadian junior ice hockey forward for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2025 NHL entry draft.
| Michael Misa | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
February 16, 2007 Oakville, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| OHL team | Saginaw Spirit | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2025 | ||
Playing career
editAt the 2022 OHL Cup, Misa scored 20 points in seven games to beat Connor McDavid's record for tournament scoring.[1]
In April 2022, Misa was granted exceptional player status to enter the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the 2022–23 season, becoming the eighth player to be granted exceptional status, the previous being Shane Wright.[2] A few weeks later, he was selected first overall at the 2022 OHL draft by the Saginaw Spirit.[3] In his OHL debut on October 1, 2022, a 10–6 victory over the Guelph Storm, he recorded two goals.[4] Despite missing six weeks with a fractured tibia, he had the most productive season for an exceptional-status player in OHL history, achieving 1.24 points per game, ahead of John Tavares’ 1.18, Wright’s 1.14, and McDavid's 1.05.[5] Misa would go on to win the Emms Family Award as OHL rookie of the year.[6]
Appearing in 67 games during the 2023–24 season, Misa had 29 goals and 46 assists. His point-per-game rate was lower than the prior season, which Saginaw's general manager attributed to his playing fewer minutes as a result of the team acquiring veteran junior players like Owen Beck.[7] The Spirit made a deep run in the OHL playoffs to the Western Conference Final, but were defeated by the London Knights in six games.[8] However, as the hosts, the team still participated in the 2024 Memorial Cup against the champions of the CHL's three leagues. Misa distinguished himself during the team's round robin game against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, registering three assists in a 4–3 comeback victory and being named player of the game.[9] The Spirit reached the championship game, a rematch with the London Knights, and defeated them to claim the franchise's first Memorial Cup.[10]
International play
edit| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
 |
2023 Czech Republic/Slovakia | |
Misa won a gold medal representing Canada in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing the tournament with eight points in five games.[11]
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2022–23 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 45 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 2023–24 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 67 | 29 | 46 | 75 | 26 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | ||
| OHL totals | 112 | 51 | 80 | 131 | 36 | 28 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 8 | ||||
International
edit| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Canada Red | U17 | 
|
7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Canada | HG18 | 
|
5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 12 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0 | ||||
Awards and honours
edit| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| CHL | ||
| All-Rookie Team | 2023 | [12] |
| Memorial Cup champion | 2024 | [10] |
| OHL | ||
| First All-Rookie Team | 2023 | [13] |
| Emms Family Award | 2023 | [6] |
References
edit- ^ Kennedy, Ryan. "How similar could Michael Misa be to Connor Bedard?". The Hockey News. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ "Michael Misa joins elite class of 15-year-olds granted exceptional status in OHL". CBC. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Ellis, Steven. "Top 2025, 2026 NHL Draft talent on display at OHL Cup". Daily Faceoff. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Bernreuter, Hugh (October 2, 2022). "Michael Misa 'exceptional' in OHL debut for Saginaw Spirit". Michigan Live. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ Wheeler, Scott. "For Michael Misa, OHL exceptional status and the 2025 NHL Draft are just the start". The Athletic. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ a b Pearson, Mark. "Saginaw Spirit player named OHL Rookie of the Year". MSN. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Pereira, Gene (May 24, 2024). "Chance to shine on Memorial Cup's big stage is what Oakville's Misa relishes". inhalton.com. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Stockl, Joely (May 5, 2024). "The London Knights Advance to the OHL Finals After Beating Saginaw & Winning Series 4-2". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Stockl, Joely (May 26, 2024). "Hunter Haight & Michael Misa Shine As Saginaw Spirit Mount Comeback Against Drummondville Voltigeurs to Win 4-3". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Séguin, Christopher (June 3, 2023). "Spirit win their first-ever CHL championship title by defeating the Knights 4-3 in the final of the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Spiker, Brianne. "Misa, Dickinson among Canadian players to watch at 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup". TSN. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- ^ Tidcombe, Matt (June 1, 2023). "2022-23 CHL All-Star Teams announced". chl.ca. Canadian Hockey Leagye. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Bernreuter, Hugh (June 3, 2023). "Saginaw Spirit place three on OHL all-rookie team". mlive.com. Michigan Live. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
External links
edit- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database