CHL to NHL: Memorial Cup champion Misa debuts with Sharks

Photo credit: Natalie Shaver

Former Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks Tuesday.

Misa had 18 shifts on the night totalling 15:06 with two blocks in a 5-1 Sharks loss.

Misa had a sensational 2024-25 campaign where he led the CHL in scoring with 134 points to become just the seventh first-year draft-eligible to win the CHL Top Scorer award over the last 20 years. The Oakvilke, ON., native also potted 62 goals – the second most in the CHL – which saw him tie London’s Patrick Kane for the third-most by a first-year draft-eligible in the CHL since 2000.

At season’s end, he was honoured with the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player while he also claimed the Bobby Smith Trophy as the league’s Scholastic Player of the Year. Furthermore, Misa was named the recipient of the 2025 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence and was selected to the CHL First All-Star Team.

The year prior, Misa helped Saginaw to a Memorial Cup title on home ice. The first overall pick in the 2022 OHL Draft – and one of just nine players granted exceptional status in CHL history – Misa has played 177 games with Saginaw where he has amassed a franchise best 265 points. His 113 goals are six shy of the team record.

Internationally, the 18-year-old won gold with Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as well as a silver medal at the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge.

San Jose selected Misa second overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.