Saginaw wins OHL draft lottery with 'exceptional' Michael Misa top prize

The Saginaw Spirit won the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft Lottery on Wednesday and are expected to select 15-year-old Michael Misa with the No. 1 pick at the OHL draft on April 29-30.

Misa became just the sixth player to be granted "exceptional player" status last week following NHL stars Connor McDavid, John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad, as well as Shane Wright, the top prospect for the 2022 NHL draft.

Misa is a 5-foot-10, 150-pound forward who had 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points in 27 games with the Mississauga Senators of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. He broke McDavid's scoring record with 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in seven games during the OHL Cup this year.

“It’s a huge honor to be counted among names like Connor McDavid and John Tavares to have received exceptional status from Hockey Canada,” Misa told ohl.com. “I try not to compare myself to those superstars, and just focus on being the best I can be and improve my game every day."

Saginaw, whose ownership group includes Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano and three-time Stanley Cup champion Chris Osgood, finished last in the Western Conference with a 24-43-1 record this year.

Each of the four non-playoff teams participating in the lottery (Erie, Niagara, Sudbury, Saginaw) had an equal 25% chance of drawing the first overall pick. The final results were determined by a computerized random number generator.

OHL draft order of selection

►Saginaw Spirit

►Erie Otters

►Sudbury Wolves

►Niagara IceDogs

►Sarnia Sting

►Peterborough Petes

►Ottawa 67’s

►Oshawa Generals

►Kitchener Rangers

►Barrie Colts

►Owen Sound Attack

►Guelph Storm

►Mississauga Steelheads

►Oshawa Generals*

►London Knights

►Soo Greyhounds

►Kingston Frontenacs

►Flint Firebirds

►Saginaw Spirit*

►North Bay Battalion

►Ottawa 67’s*

►Windsor Spitfires

►Hamilton Bulldogs

* - compensatory pick