Introduction
Michael Misa (born February 16, 2007) is a Canadian junior ice hockey forward for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He will be eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, where he is projected as most likely to be taken first overall.
Playing career
At the 2022 OHL Cup, Misa scored 20 points in seven games to beat Connor McDavid's record for tournament scoring.
Misa was granted exceptional player status to enter the Ontario Hockey League for the 2022–23 season, becoming the eighth player to be granted exceptional status, the previous being Shane Wright. He went first overall at the 2022 OHL Draft to the Saginaw Spirit. 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. Misa would go on to win the Emms Family Award as rookie of the year.
International play
Misa won a gold medal representing Canada in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing the tournament with eight points in five games.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2022–23 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 45 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | ||
| OHL totals | 45 | 22 | 34 | 56 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Canada Red | U17 | 
|
7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Canada | HG18 | 
|
5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 12 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0 | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| CHL | ||
| All-Rookie Team | 2023 | |
| OHL | ||
| First All-Rookie Team | 2023 | |
| Emms Family Award | 2023 | |