Friday Night Faceoff: Misa’s historic season drawing high praise from NHL Draft analysts

It has been a season for the ages for Saginaw Spirit captain Michael Misa.

The top NHL Draft prospect has set the league on fire in his third season with the Spirit, currently sitting near the top of the scoring race. He ranks second with an impressive 79 points (38 goals, 41 assists) in just 39 games heading into a Friday Night Faceoff matchup against the Kingston Frontenacs.

Misa’s 2.03 points-per-game (PPG) production leads the OHL, a remarkable stat that has caught the attention of NHL Draft analysts worldwide.

Steven Ellis of the Daily Faceoff ranked Misa third in his most recent draft rankings, praising the forward’s elite offensive ability.

“He’s one of the best pure goal scorers in the CHL and is on track for one of the most impressive goal-scoring draft campaigns we’ve seen out of the OHL in quite some time,” Ellis said. “This is a guy who continues to find ways to get into scoring positions and impact his team in the best way possible.”

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic has also highlighted Misa’s impressive transformation during his third season in Saginaw, noting the full-time move from wing to center as a key factor in his development.

“It has really involved him in more plays and highlighted the value of his skating,” Wheeler wrote in his latest draft rankings about the Oakville native. “He’s shown some real star quality early on this year.”

One of Misa’s most impressive accomplishments this season was becoming the fastest Saginaw Spirit player to reach 200 career points, achieving the milestone in just 148 games. However, perhaps his most significant achievement came on January 8th when he was named the 26th captain in Saginaw Spirit history.

“Michael is a great young man that we’ve seen grow a lot from 15 to 17,” said Spirit GM Dave Drinkill. “He’s a guy who’s had a lot of pressure on him his whole life and can handle anything thrown at him. I’m really looking forward to seeing him lead our group.”

For Misa, the 2022 Jack Ferguson Award winner, wearing the ‘C’ for the Spirit is an honor. He is eager to continue the team’s tradition of leadership, following in the footsteps of former captains, including Ethan Hay, whom Misa will face on Friday night in Kingston.

“It’s a huge honor, and I’m really excited for this opportunity,” said Misa. “I’m grateful to the staff and all of the boys for believing in me. I’ve had some of the best captains in Josh Bloom, Mitchell Smith, Braden Haché, and Ethan Hay. They’ve all meant so much to me, and I’m looking forward to putting their advice to use.”

Misa will look to continue to add to his point totals on Friday Night Faceoff, as Saginaw travels to Kingston to square off against the Frontenacs. See the game streaming for free at 7:00pm on OHL Live, YouTube, X and Facebook!