Spirit’s Michael Misa wins E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence
Saginaw Spirit star forward Michael Misa has been named the recipient of the 2025 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, the NHL announced Monday.
First awarded in 2015, the honour is presented annually by NHL Central Scouting to the draft-eligible prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism. The award is named after the late E.J. McGuire, who served as Director of Central Scouting from 2005 until his passing in 2011.
Misa, a 6-foot-1 center, put together a record-setting season in the OHL, leading the league with 134 points (62-72-134) in 65 games. It was the most in a single OHL season since Patrick Kane recorded 145 points with the London Knights in 2006-07. Misa had multi-point performances in 46 of his 65 games and matched John Tavares for the most points by an under-18 player since 2000. His 62 goals are tied for the third-most by a draft-eligible skater in league history.
“I didn’t know too much about the award, to be honest, before I got told,” Misa admitted. “But after reading about it and looking at the past players who have received it, I think it’s a tremendous honour. To have the announcement made during the Stanley Cup Final is pretty cool, and being there for the moment will be extra special for my family.”
Granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada in 2022, Misa became the ninth player to enter the CHL early at age 15. Since then, he has become Saginaw’s all-time leading scorer and played a key role in the Spirit’s Memorial Cup-winning season in 2023-24.
“Each year, there are many candidates deserving of the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence,” said NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr. “Michael Misa was chosen because he demonstrated the characteristics that define this award in his pursuit to be the best player he could be. From the moment he entered the league with exceptional status, he displayed a humbleness and unselfish character that carried through a standout junior career.”
Misa’s accolades this season reflect that drive. He was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player, the Bobby Smith Trophy as OHL Scholastic Player of the Year, and the Eddie Powers Trophy as the league’s top scorer – becoming the first player to win all three in a single season since Dave Simpson did so in 1981-82 with the Knights.
Projected as a top-five pick in the upcoming NHL Draft on June 27 in Los Angeles, Misa continues to solidify his place among junior hockey’s elite with a combination of skill, smarts, and character.
