Fourteen Spirit alumni on 2026 NHL Opening Night rosters
Saginaw, Mich- Fourteen players developed within the Spirit organization had their names on the NHL’s opening night rosters for the 2026-2027 season. Veterans like Ben Chiarot are joined by newcomers like Nikita Klepov, who could make his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks as early as Friday, October 2nd. The league opens its season with the Florida Panthers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at 5:00pm EST. The first instance of Spirit alumni on the ice comes at 10:00pm EST, when Filip Hronek and Jamie Oleksiak of the Vancouver Canucks take on the Edmonton Oilers.
Spirit Alumni on NHL Opening Night Rosters:
Igor Chernyshov – SJS
Saginaw totals (2024-2025): 19G-36A–55P, 23GP
NHL totals (since 2025): 9G-10A–19P, 28GP
Ben Chiarot – DET
Saginaw totals (2010-2011): 5G-19A–24P, 39GP
NHL totals (since 2013): 50G-135A–185P, 805GP
Hayden Hodsgson – OTT
Saginaw totals (2015-2017): 42G-33A–85P, 87GP
NHL totals (since 2021): 1G-2A–3P, 19GP
Filip Hronek – VAN
Saginaw totals (2016-2017): 14G-47A–61P, 59GP
NHL totals (since 2018): 48G-239A–287P, 533GP
Nikita Klepov – ANA
Saginaw totals (2025-2026): 37G-60A–97P, 67GP
NHL totals: –
Ryan McLeod – BUF
Saginaw totals (2018-2019): 7G-17A–24P, 31GP
NHL totals (since 2020); 66G-116A–182P, 379GP
Pavel Mintyukov – ANA
Saginaw totals (2020-2023): 33G-83A–116P, 104GP
NHL totals (since 2023): 17G-52A–69P, 204GP
Michael Misa – SJS
Saginaw totals (2022-2025): 113G-152A–265P, 177GP
NHL totals (since 2025): 9G-12A–21P, 45GP
Jamie Oleksiak – VAN
Saginaw totals (2011-2012): 6G-5A–11P, 31GP
NHL totals (since 2012): 45G-116A–161P, 758GP
Zayne Parekh – CGY
Saginaw totals (2022-2025): 87G-153A–240P, 177GP
NHL totals (since 2025): 5G-5A–10P, 38GP
Cole Perfetti – WPG
Saginaw totals (2018-2020): 74G-111A–185P, 124GP
NHL totals (since 2021): 59G-98A–157P, 290GP
Ilya Solovyov – PIT
Saginaw totals (2019-2020): 7G-33A–40P, 53GP
NHL totals (since 2023): 1G-11A–12P, 45GP
Owen Tippett – PHI
Saginaw totals (2018-2019): 14G-27A–41P, 31GP
NHL totals (since 2020): 121G-115A–236P, 428GP
Vincent Trocheck – UTA
Saginaw totals (2009-2013): 94G-146A–240P, 236GP
NHL totals (since 2013): 239G-392-631P, 868GP
