After much hype and speculation, Oakville native Michael Misa has been taken by the Saginaw Spirit with the first overall pick in the 2022 OHL priority selection.
Misa was recently given exceptional status by Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation due to his unbelievable skill and talent shown this year with the U16 Mississauga Senators and will now be joining the Saginaw Spirit at the start of the 2022-23 OHL season.
Michael also becomes the second Oakville native in the last five years to join the Spirit after Josh Bloom spent three seasons in Saginaw from 2019-2022 before signing his first NHL contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
Josh also gave Michael some advice on going to Saginaw, saying, "Just to come in and be yourself would be my main advice. Enjoy the experience and learn how to become a professional, and everything else will take care of its self."
Michael also becomes the second member of his family to be drafted to the OHL after his brother Luke was drafted ninth overall in the 2021 OHL priority selection by the Mississauga Steelheads.
The pick was announced on Thursday, April 28, 2022, before the April 29 draft in front of Saginaw Spirit fans, season ticket holders, and the entire Misa family.
Michael was accompanied by Saginaw Spirit President Craig Goslin, General Manager Dave Drinkill and Head Coach Chris Lazary.
Dave Drinkill took to the podium and spoke on why he selected Misa, saying, "Michael is an elite player, a player with high-end speed, skill, dedication, and a high hockey IQ to match. A player that fans here in Saginaw should be really excited to come watch play."
Drinkill then touched on what Michael is like as a person saying, "He is very humble, very caring, passionate, driven, and extremely mature for a 15-year-old young man. I am thrilled that the Misa family will now be a part of the Spirit family."
Michael then took to the podium and talked about how much of an honour it is to be drafted. He thanked all of his family and friends who helped him. He also thanked both the Spirit organization and their fans for giving him this opportunity.
On the topic of exceptional status, Misa said, "I am humbled to even be mentioned in the same sentence as those superstars" (those superstars being John Tavares, Connor McDavid and Aaron Ekblad) "and I’m just starting my journey, and I’m happy it starts here with the Saginaw Spirit."
"I’m committed to this team, this city and these fans. I’m focussed on the things I can control, which is listening to my coaches and my teammates and what they have to teach me."
Michael’s accomplishment is a huge step in his hockey journey. He has been given an amazing opportunity, and he now hopes to show why he was given this shot.