Saginaw Spirit 2024-25 Season Preview

 “One thing about championship teams is that they’re resilient. No matter what is thrown at them, no matter how deep the hole, they find a way to bounce back and overcome adversity.” – Nick Saban 

The Saginaw Spirit hockey team, coming off the heels of a storybook season where they earned the Memorial Cup championship, enter the 2024-25 season with much optimism.

And who could blame them for still being on a proverbial Memorial Cup high after the outstanding season they turned in a year ago. The talent-laden Spirit battled for a 60-16-1-1 record a year ago, setting a team record for the most wins in Saginaw history.

The icing on the cake was when Saginaw battled the powerful London Knights in the championship game where Josh Bloom scored the deciding goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third period, securing a 4-3 victory over the Knights and the Saginaw Spirit's first Memorial Cup championship in franchise history. When Spirit captain Braden Hache raised the Memorial Cup trophy high above his head in front of the large sellout crowd at the Dow Event Center, it started a months-long celebration.

“It was an important summer for us . . . the players, coaches, management, and fans to celebrate the Memorial Cup,” said general manager Dave Drinkill.

“You want the kids to feel good about their accomplishments so there’s still a buzz in training camp,” he added. “That will all end when they drop the (Memorial Cup) banner at our home opener. Once they drop the puck, you have to start the grind all over again. They are driven to win again. We have a long road ahead of us, but we’ll be ready.”

Drinkill, who has been at the helm since 2015, said the Spirit will still have a solid nucleus on board, ticking off the names of (Zayne) Parekh, (Andrew) Oke, (Michael) Misa, (Calem) Mangone, (Joey) Willis, and (Nick) Sima.

One newcomer that Drinkill and head coach Chris Lazary are high on is Igor Chernyshov, a rugged 6-foot-3, 205-pound right winger who hails from Penza, Russia. Chernyshov, however, recently had shoulder surgery and won’t be available until possibly December. The 56th overall selection in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, Chernyshov split the 2023-2024 season between Dynamo Moscow’s KHL and MHL clubs.

“He’s got size, skill, and power – everything you want in a power forward,” said Drinkill. “When he comes back, he’ll be an impact player. He’s really exciting.”

Chernyshov spent most of his 2023-2024 season with Dynamo Moscow’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) team. In 34 games, Chernyshov scored three goals and added an assist for four points. He spent an additional 22 games with Moscow’s Minor Hockey League (MHL) squad, producing 28 points (13G, 15A) and the team’s best second-best points-per-game average at 1.27 PT/G.

After making his Russian professional debut in the 2022-2023 season as a 16-year-old, Chernyshov would become the youngest goal-scorer in Dynamo Moscow history later that season at 17 years, 34 days. In December of 2023, Chernyshov participated in the KHL’s All-Star festivities; first scoring a goal to help Team West claim the Challenge Cup (MHL All-Star Game), then scoring another with Team Chernyshev in the KHL’s All-Star Game. Chernyshov has seen 49 games of KHL action between the regular and postseason (4G-1A-5P). At the MHL level, he’s skated in 84 games, scoring 82 points (43G, 39A).

Drinkill didn’t feel that there would be any added pressure even though he knows teams will be gunning for them. “We’ll have that target on our back for sure, but I don’t think there’s any added pressure. It’s different in Junior hockey. You know you’re going to lose a lot of talented players to graduation to the next level.”

“We had a lot of young guys who were with us last year but didn’t see playing time during the Memorial Cup; our Black Aces. Sure, we have 13-14 returning – a great core – with a lot of experience. But we need to develop those other players.”

Drinkill did a lot of wheeling and dealing over the past two years to set themselves up for the Memorial Cup run. With the returning players they have the Spirit will look to field a solid team. The veteran GM isn’t currently looking to add additional players.

“I’m not actively looking, but I’m listening,” he said. “If something comes along that makes sense to us and makes us stronger, we’ll always listen. Right now, we’re happy with the group we have. We will out more 10-15 games into the season.”

The Saginaw Spirit opens the 2024-25 regular season on home ice against the Windsor Spitfires on Wednesday, September 25^th at 7:05 p.m. at the Dow Event Center. Single game to the Memorial Cup banner raising game, along with the 33 other games from the Dow Event Center, are on sale now.

Local Player Signed by the Spirit

Four players – including one with ties to Saginaw - have earned OHL Scholarship and Development Agreements with the Spirit. Forwards Brody Najim and Liam Campbell, defenseman Blake Barnes, and goaltender Sammy DiBlasi – a native of Saginaw - each put pen to paper after impressive training camp performances.

“First and foremost, they all earned it,” said Drinkill. “These four guys definitely put in the time this summer, made a good impression at development camp and then followed that up with a strong showing at main camp. They know there is a lot of hard work ahead of them to progress in this league, and they are driven by it.”

DiBlasi, 17, becomes just the third Saginaw native to sign with the Spirit, after defensemen Mitchell Smith (2019-23) and Brad Walch (2008-12). He spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Little Caesars program, seeing 43 games of action and posting a combined 1.76 GAA and .895 save percentage.

The Spirit picked DiBlasi in the 9th round (#176) of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. Saginaw’s newest netminder stands at 6-foot-3 and catches left-handed. His youth hockey days were spent on the ice at the Dow Event Center as a member of the Saginaw Jr. Spirit.

“Sammy had a great camp,” said Drinkill. “It’s a very storybook situation. I’ve known Sammy and his family for a long time and watched him grow up from a good young goaltender all the way through AAA hockey. Now he’s the guy that other young goaltenders around Saginaw will look up to and want to be like.”

Spirit Announce Changes, Promotion

The Spirit announced several updates to the team’s hockey operations department, including contract extensions, title changes, and a new goaltending coach. Kevin Delamarter has been added as the team’s goaltending coach ahead of the 2024-2025 season. A native of Albion, Delamarter joins the Spirit after Rick Ice’s departure for the Arizona Jr. Coyotes.

“We’re excited to bring Kevin on board with us,” said Drinkill. “His in-depth and analytic approach will help our goaltenders continue to grow and flourish in their specific skillsets. Rick Ice developed championship-caliber goaltenders here in Saginaw and we know that Kevin will do the same.”

Delamarter played collegiately for Ferris State University, garnering MVP honors and serving as the team’s captain. His coaching career began during his college off-seasons, as he opened KD Goaltending in 2018. For the past six years, Delamarter has offered on-ice training and video analysis to Major Junior, NCAA and pro goalies in the Metro Detroit area.

The team has also signed athletic therapist Andrew Plate, equipment manager Lester Tiu, and assistant general manager Brian Prout each to three-year contract extensions which run through the end of the 2026-27 season. Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) West and Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) scout Jordan Selinger will take on the title ‘Director of Player Development’ while maintaining all current scouting duties. Selinger will work with prospects and their families in preparation for the jump to the OHL.

“Our success over the past few seasons relies heavily on the work done in our hockey ops department that most people don’t see,” said Drinkill. “Andrew, Lester, and Jordan work tirelessly to make sure our players have every tool possible to succeed.”

Plate joined the Spirit in the summer of 2019 after three seasons with the Wenatchee Wild, then of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Plate graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training in 2014 and earned his Master’s two years later. Tiu originally spent three seasons as the Spirit equipment manager before returning for the 2023-24 season. In the interim, Tiu won a Calder Cup as an equipment manager with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Chicago Wolves.

“The same work ethic can describe Brian Prout and then some,” said Drinkill. “His impact on the organization has no limits and he’s been a crucial figure with the Spirit from day one.

Prout began working with the Spirit as an account executive during the team’s inaugural 2002-03 season. His duties in the early days consisted of creating corporate opportunities for local clients with a team in its infancy. After being promoted to vice president of sales and a brief stint with the Sarnia Sting, Prout was brought back to the hockey ops side of the Spirit in 2015. Over the past eight seasons, he has been responsible for a wide range of duties including scouting, drafting, developing players, and maintaining the relationships between the organization, the schools, and the billet families of Saginaw.

Drinkill, Lazary Tabbed for Positions

Spirit GM Dave Drinkill will serve as a director of hockey operations for the upcoming U17 World Hockey Challenge. The 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge takes place November 1-9 in Sarnia, Ontario. He becomes the first general manager in Spirit history to receive the international call.

“I’m humbled and honored to be representing Canada on an international stage for the first time,” said Drinkill. “This is a position I’ve coveted for years now, and to get the call was nothing short of thrilling. I look forward to getting to work at camp in a few weeks and begin to build towards a gold medal.”

The Elmvale, Ontario, native just finished his ninth season as the general manager of the Spirit with the organization’s first Memorial Cup championship. Since his arrival in July of 2015, Drinkill’s Spirit teams have gone on to win three West Division titles (2019, 2020, 2024) and appear in two Western Conference Finals (2019, 2024). This past season under Drinkill was the most successful regular season in franchise history, where the team hit the 50-win and 100-point plateaus for the first time.

Lazary, meanwhile, will serve as an assistant coach for the National Junior Team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Lazary becomes the first coach in Spirit history to step behind the bench of a World Junior squad. He and the rest of the Canadian coaching staff will head to Ottawa, Ontario, for the tournament’s 49th occurrence from December 26th, 2024, to January 5th, 2025.

“I’m incredibly honored,” said Lazary. “It’s every hockey player and coach’s dream to represent their country at the World Juniors. This is another dream come true in a year where there have been quite a few.”

The 2024-2025 season will be Lazary’s ninth with the Spirit organization. The Whitby, Ontario, native arrived in Saginaw as an associate coach in 2016, following two years in an assistant role with the Sarnia Sting.

He is the winningest head coach in Saginaw Spirit history.

Rimouski to host ’25 Memorial Cup

The Canadian Hockey League has named the city of Rimouski, Québec, to host the 105th edition of the Memorial Cup in 2025 – which will mark the return of the CHL’s championship event to Québec for the first time in 10 years.

The decision was rendered following formal bid presentations made by both the Rimouski Océanic and the Shawinigan Cataractes to the CHL’s selection committee. The committee was comprised of sports leaders from across the industry including Colin Campbell (NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations), France Margaret Bélanger (President, Groupe CH), Neil Glasberg (President & CEO, Pinnacle Business Inc.), Donald Beauchamp (Special Consultant, TACT) and Charles Perreault (General Manager, RDS).

Awarded to the best team in junior hockey, the Memorial Cup is one of the most coveted trophies in hockey. First awarded in 1919, in remembrance of the many soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice for Canada in the First World War, the Memorial Cup was later rededicated to the memory of all fallen Canadian Military Personnel in 2010. In 2025, the Memorial Cup will be awarded for the 105th time in its history. Rimouski will be one of four clubs to play in the 2025 Memorial Cup alongside the playoff champion from each of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and Western Hockey League (WHL).