Saginaw Spirit
CitySaginaw, Michigan
LeagueOntario Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionWest
Founded2002–03
Home arenaDow Event Center
ColorsMidnight blue, red, silver, white and yellow
         
General managerDave Drinkill
Head coachChris Lazary
Websitesaginawspirit.com
Franchise history
1943–1947St. Catharines Falcons
1947–1962St. Catharines Teepees
1962–1976St. Catharines Black Hawks
1976–1982Niagara Falls Flyers
1982–2002North Bay Centennials
2002–presentSaginaw Spirit
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).

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.

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

SeasonGamesWonLostTiedOTLSLPointsPct %Goals
For		Goals
Against		Standing
2002–0368114557–340.2501582755th West
2003–0468164534–390.2871612285th West
2004–0568184244–440.3241502604th West
2005–06683630–20740.5442422462nd West
2006–07684421–03910.6692912172nd West
2007–08683325–82760.5592342314th West
2008–09683624–44800.5882352192nd West
2009–10683427–43750.5512402304th West
2010–11684022–42860.6322432071st West
2011–12683327–17740.5442592593rd West
2012–13683229–43710.5222502644th West
2013–14683330–41710.5222542483rd West
2014–15682936–21610.4492122713rd West
2015–16682437–43550.4042092824th West
2016–17682732–72630.4632042485th West
2017–18682930–90670.4931962384th West
2018–19684517–33960.7062942181st West
2019–20624116–32870.7022892251st West
2020–21000–0000.00000Season canceled
2021–22682443–10490.3602343055th West
2022–23683627–32770.5662442443rd 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.
  • 2012–13 Lost to London Knights 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2013–14 Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2014–15 Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2015–16 Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2016–17 Out of playoffs.
  • 2017–18 Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2018–19 Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
    Defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
    Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 3 in conference finals.
  • 2019–20 Canceled.
  • 2020–21 Canceled.
  • 2021–22 Out of playoffs.
  • 2022–23 Defeated Flint Firebirds 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to Sarnia Sting 4 games to 0 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[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. 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. The general manager is local high school hockey legend Matt Blasy.

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

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.[8][9]

Reruns of games can be viewed on WNEM-DT2 ("WNEM TV5 Plus").[10] 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.[11]

Mid Michigan Spirit

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

  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. ↑ Radio Broadcast SaginawSpirit.com
  9. ↑ Spirit, FM Talk and Sports WSGW 100.5 extend radio broadcasting partnership through 2020-21 season SaginawSpirit.com
  10. ↑ WNEM5+ Saginaw Spirit Rewind SaginawSpirit.com
  11. ↑ OHL UNVEILS 2021-22 REGIONAL TELEVISION BROADCAST SCHEDULE DETAILS OHL Writers, September 21, 2021
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