Spirit honour Saginaw hockey legend Dennis Desrosiers

The Saginaw Spirit paid tribute to one of the pioneers of the franchise ahead of Thursday night’s matchup against the Ottawa 67’s.

The Spirit raised a banner honouring local hockey legend Dennis Desrosiers, the club’s inaugural head coach back in 2002 who is just as well-known for his accomplished professional career, prominently starring with the Saginaw Gears of the IHL.

Originally from Kirkland Lake, ON, Desrosiers joined the Gears in 1972, playing parts of 10 seasons with the franchise, leading them to an IHL championship in 1977. He concluded his minor pro career with the rival Flint Generals in 1983 before moving behind the bench over a span of 16 seasons between the IHL, ECHL and UHL.

With the North Bay Centennials relocating to Saginaw to become the Spirit in 2002, Desrosiers was appointed the first head coach in Spirit history and spent two seasons at the helm. Now 76-years-old, Desrosiers has served as an analyst alongside play-by-play voices Dillon Clark and Joey Battaino over the past several seasons.

Long-time hockey fans in the Saginaw region have fond memories of “Rosie,” who helped Saginaw achieve championship glory in the mid-70’s before leaving his mark as a foundational figure in Saginaw Spirit history. He remains a familiar face around the Dow Event Center, continuing to provide his insights on Spirit hockey broadcasts today.

It was a special night at the Dow Event Center, with the Saginaw Spirit honoring Saginaw hockey legend Dennis Desrosiers. https://t.co/y5jVOOEz0r @SpiritHockey

— Hugh Bernreuter (@BernreuterHugh) February 27, 2026