Michael Misa
{{short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 2007)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|02|16}}
| birth_place = Oakville, Ontario, Canada
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 185
| position = Forward
| shoots = Left
| league = OHL
| team = Saginaw Spirit
| draft = Eligible 2025
| career_start =
| career_end =
}}
Michael Misa (born February 16, 2007) is a Canadian junior ice hockey forward and captain for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2025 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
At the 2022 OHL Cup, Misa scored 20 points in seven games to beat Connor McDavid's record for tournament scoring.{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ryan |title=How similar could Michael Misa be to Connor Bedard? |url=https://thehockeynews.com/video/how-similar-could-michael-misa-be-to-connor-bedard |publisher=The Hockey News |access-date=1 July 2023}}
In April 2022, Misa was granted exceptional player status to enter the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the 2022–23 season, becoming the eighth player to be granted exceptional status, the previous being Shane Wright.{{cite web |title=Michael Misa joins elite class of 15-year-olds granted exceptional status in OHL |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/michael-misa-exceptional-status-ohl-1.6420047 |publisher=CBC |access-date=1 July 2023}} A few weeks later, he was selected first overall at the 2022 OHL draft by the Saginaw Spirit.{{cite web |last1=Ellis |first1=Steven |title=Top 2025, 2026 NHL Draft talent on display at OHL Cup |url=https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-2025-2026-nhl-draft-talent-on-display-at-ohl-cup |publisher=Daily Faceoff |access-date=1 July 2023}} In his OHL debut on October 1, 2022, a 10–6 victory over the Guelph Storm, he recorded two goals.{{cite web |last1=Bernreuter |first1=Hugh |title=Michael Misa 'exceptional' in OHL debut for Saginaw Spirit |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw-bay-city/2022/10/michael-misa-exceptional-in-ohl-debut-for-saginaw-spirit.html |website=Michigan Live |access-date=June 5, 2024 |language=en |date=October 2, 2022}} Despite missing six weeks with a fractured tibia, he had the most productive season for an exceptional-status player in OHL history, achieving 1.24 points per game, ahead of John Tavares’ 1.18, Wright’s 1.14, and McDavid's 1.05.{{cite web |last1=Wheeler |first1=Scott |title=For Michael Misa, OHL exceptional status and the 2025 NHL Draft are just the start |url=https://theathletic.com/4781395/2023/09/06/michael-misa-2025-nhl-draft/ |publisher=The Athletic |access-date=14 September 2023 |url-access=subscription}} Misa would go on to win the Emms Family Award as OHL rookie of the year.{{cite web |last1=Pearson |first1=Mark |title=Saginaw Spirit player named OHL Rookie of the Year |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/saginaw-spirit-player-named-ohl-rookie-of-the-year/ar-AA1cyLkk |publisher=MSN |access-date=1 July 2023}}
Appearing in 67 games during the 2023–24 season, Misa had 29 goals and 46 assists. His point-per-game rate was lower than the prior season, which Saginaw's general manager attributed to his playing fewer minutes as a result of the team acquiring veteran junior players like Owen Beck.{{Cite web|title=Chance to shine on Memorial Cup's big stage is what Oakville's Misa relishes|url=https://www.inhalton.com/chance-to-shine-on-memorial-cups-big-stage-is-what-oakvilles-misa-relishes/|last=Pereira|first=Gene|website=inhalton.com|date=May 24, 2024|access-date=June 3, 2024}} The Spirit made a deep run in the OHL playoffs to the Western Conference Final, but were defeated by the London Knights in six games.{{cite web |last1=Stockl |first1=Joely |title=The London Knights Advance to the OHL Finals After Beating Saginaw & Winning Series 4-2 |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/game-day/the-london-knights-advance-to-the-ohl-finals-after-beating-saginaw-winning-series-4-2 |magazine=The Hockey News |date=May 5, 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2024}} However, as the hosts, the team still participated in the 2024 Memorial Cup against the champions of the CHL's three leagues. Misa distinguished himself during the team's round robin game against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, registering three assists in a 4–3 comeback victory and being named player of the game.{{cite web |last1=Stockl |first1=Joely |title=Hunter Haight & Michael Misa Shine As Saginaw Spirit Mount Comeback Against Drummondville Voltigeurs to Win 4-3 |url=https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/game-day/hunter-haight-michael-misa-shine-as-saginaw-spirit-mount-comeback-against-drummondville-voltigeurs-to-win-4-3 |magazine=The Hockey News |date=May 26, 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2024}} The Spirit reached the championship game, a rematch with the London Knights, and defeated them to claim the franchise's first Memorial Cup.{{Cite web|title=Spirit win their first-ever CHL championship title by defeating the Knights 4-3 in the final of the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow|url=https://chl.ca/article/spirit-win-their-first-ever-chl-championship-title-by-defeating-the-knights-4-3-in-the-final-of-the-2024-memorial-cup-presented-by-dow/|last=Séguin|first=Christopher|publisher=Canadian Hockey League|access-date=June 3, 2023|date=June 3, 2023}}
In January 2025, Misa was named the 26th captain in Saginaw history.{{cite web |last1=Morreale |first1=Mike G. |title=2025 Draft: Schaefer tops Central Scouting midterm rankings |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-midterm-rankings-released |publisher=NHL |access-date=15 January 2025}} He finished the 2024–25 OHL season first in league scoring with 134 points, tying with Patrick Kane for most goals in a draft-eligible season with 62.{{cite web |last1=Ferrari |first1=Tony |title=2025 NHL Draft: Michael Misa's Historic Year Has Him Pushing For First Overall |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-michael-misas-152927773.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=6 April 2025}}
International play
{{MedalTableTop|name = }}
{{MedalCountry | {{ih18|Canada}}}}
{{MedalSport | Men's ice hockey}}
{{MedalCompetition|Hlinka Gretzky Cup}}
{{MedalGold|2023 Czech Republic/Slovakia|}}
{{MedalBottom}}
Misa won a gold medal representing Canada in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing the tournament with eight points in five games.{{cite web |last1=Spiker |first1=Brianne |title=Misa, Dickinson among Canadian players to watch at 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup |date=July 28, 2023 |url=https://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/michael-misa-sam-dickinson-among-canadian-players-to-watch-at-2023-hlinka-gretzky-cup-1.1989494 |publisher=TSN |access-date=19 September 2023}}
Career statistics
=Regular season and playoffs=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="94" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="94" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 2022–23
| OHL | 45 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 10
| 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
| bgcolor="f0f0f0"
| 2023–24 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 67 | 29 | 46 | 75 | 26
| 17 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
| 2024–25
| Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 65 | 62 | 72 | 134 | 45
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|OHL totals ! 177 | 113 | 152 | 265 | 81
! 32 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 8 |
=International=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em;" | ||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||
| 2022
| Canada Red | U17 | {{silver2}} | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| bgcolor="f0f0f0"
| 2023 | Canada | HG18 | {{gold1}} | 5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4"|Junior totals ! 12 !! 5 !! 9 !! 14 !! 0 |
Awards and honours
| class="wikitable"
! Award ! Year ! Ref |
| colspan="3"|CHL |
|---|
| All-Rookie Team
| 2023 |
| Memorial Cup champion
| 2024 |
| CHL Top Scorer Award
| 2025 | |
| colspan="3"|OHL |
| First All-Rookie Team
| 2023 |
| Emms Family Award
| 2023 |
| Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
| 2025 | |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Ice hockey stats |elite=577184 |hockeydb=262403}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Misa, Michael}}
Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen
Category:Canadian Hockey League exceptional status players