Michael Misa has left most fans of the OHL speechless this season. He's managed to produce a 1.12 points per game average this year, which is the highest average since Connor McDavid's 1.77 just 10 years ago.
He currently leads the entire OHL with 126 points in 62 games with only three more games to go in the season.
Misa also set the Saginaw Spirit record for points in a season in late February by scoring his 112th point, and is currently adding to that record every game.
Barring a major fall off, Misa will be crowned the top point scorer of the Ontario Hockey League by the season's end.
But what has lead to Misa's success this season? How did he rise from scoring 75 points last season to this year's 126?
Taking on a bigger role
Misa has attributed his season to two major factors, confidence and a bigger role on his team.
"Confidence has been a big thing," Misa said. "When I have the puck this year I feel more confident."
"I also transitioned into a bigger role for our team this year and I am playing a lot more minutes. So I'd say those two things [have helped me this season.]"
Misa's confidence with the puck is definitely at an all time high. The video below will give you a sense of what a confident Misa can do with the puck:
Michael Misa (2025) has 17 goals in his last 13 games.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) March 2, 2025
57 in 57 on the season. He's gross. pic.twitter.com/vEep32FUHy
But along with his confidence growing, Misa saw an opportunity in front of him and worked hard to take it.
Last season, Misa was playing on Saginaw's third line as a winger because the team had players much older than him playing big roles in the teams top six.
But with those players graduating to different levels for this season, the first line centre position was open for Misa to take and he worked hard in the off-season to make sure that spot became his.
Over the off-season, Misa gained close to 10 lbs and grew an extra two inches getting to 6"1. The centre position was familiar position to Misa as that is his natural position but he knew he had to earn that trust from his coaches in order for them to give him that chance.
"I knew heading into my draft year that I wanted to play centre. It was something that I talked with my coach about and luckily it ended up working out."
Becoming a leader
Misa took the first line centre spot and automatically become a leader for the Saginaw Spirit on the ice, but eventually became one off the ice too as he was named the teams captain mid-way through the season.
"It was a really big honour. I was really grateful that the organization gave me that role and believed in me. It has been a lot more responsibility for me but it's been a lot of fun."
Being given the captaincy is obviously a big responsibility as you are now seen as the leader of your team and the one that everyone is supposed to lean on when times get tough.
So Misa had to learn to find his voice in the locker room with this new responsibility.
"You need to have a voice in the room, that's something that I have had to work on."
"I would talk in the room, but I usually wouldn't try to motivate everyone [before I was captain] but [motivating people] is obviously my job now."
Another player that helped Misa in his transition to Saginaw's captain was former teammate and one time Spirit captain Braden Haché. Misa called Haché, who is now a member San Jose Sharks minor league affiliate, and Haché gave Misa some tips on how to be a good leader.
Looking to the future
Now Misa and the Spirt prepare for the playoffs. Last season, the Spirit climbed the mountain top of the Canadian Hockey League by winning the Memorial Cup.
This season, Misa will be looked upon to lead the Spirit back to the promised land for a second year in a row. Misa feels Saginaw has another good chance at making it far in the OHL playoffs.
"I think our team is going to be ready. We have a young sneaky team so we will be looking to go as far as we can in the playoffs."
"We are going to show a lot of people that we still have a good team this year."
in the unfortunate event that Saginaw exits the OHL playoffs early, Misa still has a chance to play more hockey.
Misa will have the opportunity to play for Team Canada at the U-18 World Championships in Texas.
Many players in the past that have been in Misa's position as a potential top three player in the upcoming NHL draft have decided not to participate in the tournament for fear of getting injured but Misa is ready to jump at the chance for playing for Canada if it comes to him.
"Absolutely [I would play in the tournament,] I think it's always an honour to represent your country. I'd love to go."
Misa's involvement in the U-18 World Championships will all depend on his own success in this seasons playoffs with the Spirit.
If the Spirit make it deep into the OHL playoffs, that will sadly conflict with the tournament and Misa will be unable to participate in the event.
But at the end of this hockey season, Misa will live out his childhood dream of being drafted into the National Hockey League.
This year, the NHL draft will be decentralized for the first time in its history which means that only the top 50 prospects will be invited to the event and none of the NHL teams management groups will be attending the event.
It will be a much different look for the draft as it will be similar to the NFL draft where only a handful of prospects come to the draft and the dominant group of people at the event are fans.
I opened the floor to Misa on why he feels an NHL team should draft him, here is what he said:
"I have a willingness to make everyone around me better when I'm on the ice. I will do whatever it takes to help our team win."
"I also think I am a very coachable player, I always pay attention in drills and I always ask for feedback."
"Whichever team drafts me, I will try to make an impact their organization."
Misa has impacted every team he has played on his entire life and should be a big impact to the NHL team that drafts him.