Saginaw Spirit

Last updated
Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw Spirit Logo.svg
City Saginaw, Michigan
League Ontario Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionWest
Founded 2002–03
Home arena Dow Event Center
ColorsMidnight blue, red, silver, white and yellow
     
General managerDave Drinkill
Head coachChris Lazary
Website saginawspirit.com
Franchise history
1943–1947 St. Catharines Falcons
1947–1962 St. Catharines Teepees
1962–1976 St. Catharines Black Hawks
1976–1982 Niagara Falls Flyers
1982–2002 North Bay Centennials
2002–presentSaginaw Spirit
Pregame warm-up at Wendler Arena Wendler arena pregame.jpg
Pregame warm-up at Wendler Arena

The Saginaw Spirit are 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).

Contents

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, 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. 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. [1] [2] [3] [4]

In March 2023, the CHL announced the Spirit as hosts of the 2024 Memorial Cup, granting them an automatic berth. This will be the first time that the United States has hosted a Memorial Cup since the Spokane Chiefs in 1998. [5]

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.

List of coaches. Numbers of seasons in parentheses.

Players

Award winners

Retired numbers

NHL alumni

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss

Season GamesWonLostTiedOTLSLPointsPct %Goals
For		Goals
Against		Standing
2002–03 68114557–340.2501582755th West
2003–04 68164534–390.2871612285th West
2004–05 68184244–440.3241502604th West
2005–06 683630–20740.5442422462nd West
2006–07 684421–03910.6692912172nd West
2007–08 683325–82760.5592342314th West
2008–09 683624–44800.5882352192nd West
2009–10 683427–43750.5512402304th West
2010–11 684022–42860.6322432071st West
2011–12 683327–17740.5442592593rd West
2012–13 683229–43710.5222502644th West
2013–14 683330–41710.5222542483rd West
2014–15 682936–21610.4492122713rd West
2015–16 682437–43550.4042092824th West
2016–17 682732–72630.4632042485th West
2017–18 682930–90670.4931962384th West
2018–19 684517–33960.7062942181st West
2019–20 624116–32870.7022892251st West
2020–21 000–0000.00000Season canceled
2021–22 682443–10490.3602343055th West
2022–23 683627–32770.5662442443rd West
2023–24 685016–111020.7503032151st West

Playoffs

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 [6] 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 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. 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. [7]

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, the first time that the event was hosted in an American city. [8]

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. [9] [10]

Reruns of games can be viewed on WNEM-DT2 ("WNEM TV5 Plus"). [11] 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. [12]

Mid Michigan Spirit

Saginaw Spirit team bus in October 2011 Saginaw Spirit team bus.jpg
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.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guelph Storm</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Guelph

The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Sound Attack</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Owen Sound

The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Based in Owen Sound since 1989, and operating under the current name since 2000, the Attack play their home games at the J. D. McArthur Arena inside the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plymouth Whalers</span> Ice hockey team in Plymouth, Michigan

The Plymouth Whalers were a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They played out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA, a suburb of Detroit until 2015 when they were relocated to Flint, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarnia Sting</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Sarnia

The Sarnia Sting are a junior ice hockey team based in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. They are one of the 20 teams that make up the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Sault Ste. Marie

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey teams based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, since 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Spitfires</span> Ontario Hockey League team in Windsor

The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975–76 season. An unrelated Windsor Spitfires team, founded in 1946, moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953, and later became the Erie Otters in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Junior Red Wings</span> Ice hockey team in Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Junior Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons from 1992 to 1995. The Jr. Red Wings were based in Detroit, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Sound Platers</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Owen Sound, Ontario

Owen Sound Platers was a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Owen Sound, Ontario. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1989 to 2000, then was sold to new owners who renamed the team the Owen Sound Attack.

The 2003–04 OHL season was the 24th season of the Ontario Hockey League. In November 2003, the OHL Board of Governors renamed the OHL Humanitarian of the Year Award to the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy, in recognition of former Owen Sound Platers player, Dan Snyder, who died in a car accident in September 2003. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The J. Ross Robertson Cup was won by the Guelph Storm, who swept the Mississauga IceDogs in the league final.

The 2002–03 OHL season was the 23rd season of the Ontario Hockey League. The North Bay Centennials relocated to Saginaw, Michigan, becoming the Saginaw Spirit. Due to the move, several teams changed divisions; the Saginaw Spirit were placed in the west division, the London Knights moved to the midwest division, and the Brampton Battalion moved to the central division. The London Knights moved into the new John Labatt Centre, which replaced the London Ice House. The Tim Adams Memorial Trophy was inaugurated as the MVP of the OHL Cup. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The Mississauga Icedogs qualified for the playoffs for the first time in their existence. The Kitchener Rangers won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's in the final.

The 2006–07 OHL season was the 27th season of the Ontario Hockey League.

The 2008–09 OHL season was the 29th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 17, 2008 and concluded on March 15, 2009. The OHL inaugurated the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy following his death in the previous season. The Windsor Spitfires played their last game at Windsor Arena on December 4, defeating the Guelph Storm, 2–1. The Spitfires played their first game at the WFCU Centre on December 11 against the Belleville Bulls, losing the game 4–0. The playoffs began on March 18, 2009, and ended on May 8, 2009 with the Windsor Spitfires winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup, and a berth in the 2009 Memorial Cup which was held in Rimouski, Quebec. Windsor went on to win the Memorial Cup.

The 2013–14 OHL season was the 34th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Brampton Battalion relocated to North Bay and became the North Bay Battalion, playing at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. The first two outdoor games in OHL history were held this season, when the Saginaw Spirit, Windsor Spitfires, Plymouth Whalers, and London Knights played at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival on December 29. On March 11, 2014 Terry Trafford of the Saginaw Spirit, who had been missing for eight days, was found dead in his vehicle at a Wal-Mart in Saginaw, Michigan. His death was ruled a suicide as a result of self-inflicted asphyxiation. Twenty teams played 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 19, 2013 to March 17, 2014. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the third time in franchise history, and the first time since 2004, as they defeated the North Bay Battalion in five games, and represented the OHL at the 2014 Memorial Cup held at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. The London Knights also qualified for the tournament as the host team.

The 2014–15 OHL season was the 35th season of the Ontario Hockey League, in which twenty teams played 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 24, 2014 to March 22, 2015. The Niagara IceDogs began play at their new arena, the Meridian Centre. The Ottawa 67's returned to TD Place Arena after a two-year hiatus due to a renovation. Brian Kilrea returned to coach the Ottawa 67's for one game on October 17, becoming the oldest coach in league history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Tippett</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1999)

Owen Tippett is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 10th overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

The 2018–19 OHL season was the 39th season of the Ontario Hockey League, in which twenty teams played 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 19, 2018 to March 17, 2019.

The 2019–20 OHL season was the 40th season of the Ontario Hockey League, in which twenty teams were scheduled to playing 68 games each according to the regular season schedule, from September 19, 2019 to March 22, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, the regular season was suspended on March 12, 2020, and cancelled six days later.

The 2020–21 OHL season would have been the 41st season of the Ontario Hockey League. After the 2019–20 OHL season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league initially planned to play a full 68-game regular season beginning in September 2020. However, due to continued public health orders and increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, the league eventually shortened the planned season and postponed it indefinitely in December 2020. By April 2021, the league ultimately cancelled the season.

The 2021–22 OHL season was the 42nd season of operation of the Ontario Hockey League. After the 2020–21 OHL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league played a full 68-game regular season having begun on October 7, 2021, and concluded on April 17, 2022. The post-season began on April 21, 2022 and concluded on June 15, 2022.

The 2022–23 OHL season was the 43rd season of operation of the Ontario Hockey League. The league played a 68-game regular season which began on September 29, 2022 and concluded on March 26, 2023. The post-season began on March 30, 2023 and concluded on May 21, 2023.

References

  1. ↑ Parker, Jeff (December 29, 2013). "Spits top Spirit 6-5 at Comerica Park". Windsor Star. Postmedia. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ "OHL Doubleheader Outdoor Game". Saginaw Spirit. Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013.
  3. ↑ "OHL set for Hockeytown Winter Festival". Ontario Hockey League. Canadian Hockey League. June 6, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  4. ↑ Masisak, Corey (December 29, 2013). "Windsor tops Saginaw in first outdoor game". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Saginaw to host 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Kia". Canadian Hockey League. Canadian Hockey League. March 29, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Spirit on the Colbert Report Tonight". Saginaw Spirit. October 3, 2006. Archived from the original on February 9, 2007.
  7. ↑ "Stephen Colbert Day - the Colbert Report | Comedy Central US".
  8. ↑ Wendler Arena at the OHL Arena & Travel Guide
  9. ↑ Radio Broadcast SaginawSpirit.com
  10. ↑ Spirit, FM Talk and Sports WSGW 100.5 extend radio broadcasting partnership through 2020-21 season SaginawSpirit.com
  11. ↑ WNEM5+ Saginaw Spirit Rewind SaginawSpirit.com
  12. ↑ OHL UNVEILS 2021-22 REGIONAL TELEVISION BROADCAST SCHEDULE DETAILS OHL Writers, September 21, 2021
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.