F Michael Misa - Saginaw Spirit, OHL (2025 Draft)

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,841
26,535
New York
He’s doing well and will likely be picked high, but I remember there were significant questions about if he’d get ES. The players who are generational there aren’t those questions about.
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
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I think he was going to be refused prior to the ohl cup, but after dragging Mississauga to a championship hockey Ontario changed their minds
Breaking mcdavids record didn't hurt either .

As for why no "next one " hype - I think after Wright people realize that being otherworldly at 15 isn't a guaranteed path to #1 OA. What Misa is doing is incredible, but with Wright producing at a similar level just a few years ago it's lost some luster. It will take sustained dominance in the OHL over the next 2.5 seasons for people to label him as such.

He looks really great this far , I'm not gonna throw around names like McDavid or even Stamkos yet though.
 

GettingYourMoms

Registered User
Jun 6, 2018
2,218
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55uzky.jpg
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,841
26,535
New York
As someone who tries to not focus too hard on prospects several years ahead of their draft anyone I don’t who 2/3 of these people are. Anyone want to tell me about the other two guys aside from Misa in this meme?

Benak is a Czech prospect. He’s a small center. Likely a first rounder. High first rounder, it’s possible but will depend a lot on how much he grows in the next few years. The poster of that meme is Czech. At this time, it’s probably a little too optimistic to put him in the same conversation as the other two.

Hagens is viewed as the best player at the USNTDP in a long time, probably since Matthews/Eichel. The early indication is that he’ll be the most hyped player for the 2025 draft, but obviously a long way to go until that draft.
 

Ryan Van Horne

aka Scribe
Dec 1, 2005
1,696
800
Halifax
As someone who tries to not focus too hard on prospects several years ahead of their draft anyone I don’t who 2/3 of these people are. Anyone want to tell me about the other two guys aside from Misa in this meme?
Two years ago, Jack Han praised a young Adam Benak's play as a centre.



More recently, he played at the U17 challenge and acquitted himself very well for an underage player on an overmatched Czechia team.
 
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Oak

Registered User
Apr 22, 2012
4,165
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MA
No, he exists, but Hagens absolutely is the line-driver on that line.
I get the Hagens hype. I've watched him play since he was 13, but Eichel and Matthews were like men playing with kids at the NTDP. Hagens isn't there yet.

My opinion is that Hagens would not be putting up the numbers he is without Eiserman on his line, who is actually out scoring him by a small margin. They are also only 2 months apart in age.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,841
26,535
New York
I get the Hagens hype. I've watched him play since he was 13, but Eichel and Matthews were like men playing with kids at the NTDP. Hagens isn't there yet.

My opinion is that Hagens would not be putting up the numbers he is without Eiserman on his line, who is actually out scoring him by a small margin. They are also only 2 months apart in age.

Were they? I wasn’t following too closely back then, so I’ll take your word for it, but if you look at their stats, they weren’t lapping their teammates. I think they both led in PPG their U-17 season, but not by that much.

I’m not an expert on those two players. Only seen 3 games this season, but my impression was that Hagens is a 1OA caliber player that can dominate a game. His facilitation of the puck and hockey sense is already NHL top tier. He’s also a capable two way player, skates well, very skilled, plays quick, and shoots well. He can do everything.

On the other hand, I think Eiserman is more of an elite complimentary guy. He bullies his way into areas of the ice with his unbelievable skating, pace he plays at, strength, shot, and 1v1 skills. I don’t see elite playmaking. He’s not a big possession guy, like Hagens. I see a player who cheats a little for offense. He’s not only someone who scores off the rush, but the way he scores his points makes me think that against more structured teams at higher levels of hockey he won’t score as much as junior. I see the same thing with Ryan Leonard from the 18’s, although let me reiterate that I think Eiserman is much better and probably a top 5 pick in 2024.

I think Eiserman’s a very safe bet to be a complimentary first line scoring winger. Just don’t quite see the same upside that Hagens does. And while I don’t discount those stats, it’s early in the season and a minimal difference. I suspect it’ll be flipped with time. The stats don’t always make sense. Someone like Kamil Bednarik is only T6 on the team in points, has less than a third the amount as Hagens/Eiserman, and I think he’s not too distant of a third best forward on the team.
 
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Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
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No, he exists, but Hagens absolutely is the line-driver on that line.
Hagens is great, but I have yet to see one truly credible source come out and say that he is better than Jack Hughes was at that age.
Not to discredit what he's doing , but Hughes still holds the title of best since Matthews IMO
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,841
26,535
New York
Hagens is great, but I have yet to see one truly credible source come out and say that he is better than Jack Hughes was at that age.
Not to discredit what he's doing , but Hughes still holds the title of best since Matthews IMO

How many people that you’d consider credible have given an opinion on such a thing? Hagens is two months into his junior hockey career.

He’s better than Hughes. I don’t think it’s much of a debate. I don’t see an area where Hughes is more than slightly better, and Hagens is better defensively, shoots it better, and there’s a good chance he’ll be taller by draft day.
 

GettingYourMoms

Registered User
Jun 6, 2018
2,218
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Benak is a Czech prospect. He’s a small center. Likely a first rounder. High first rounder, it’s possible but will depend a lot on how much he grows in the next few years. The poster of that meme is Czech. At this time, it’s probably a little too optimistic to put him in the same conversation as the other two.

Hagens is viewed as the best player at the USNTDP in a long time, probably since Matthews/Eichel. The early indication is that he’ll be the most hyped player for the 2025 draft, but obviously a long way to go until that draft.
Benak has 170 centimetres now, he is growing which is good thing. His EP profile has not been updated yet.
 

Peachkings1922

Registered User
Aug 13, 2022
175
575
Grimsby Ontario
Misa has maintained a very steady pace GP-16 G-13 A-8 Pt-21 at 15 years old or 20 is quite an accomplishment. It will be interesting if he keeps up the pace. Saginaw has improved to 1st place in the Western Conference. Many posters had Sag not even making the playoffs. Looks like he is definitely helping his team win, for example an OT winning goal last game along with an assist. At 5'11 160 will have plenty of time to get some size as he fills out naturally. Let's see where he is after the next two years when the team will be going all in.
 
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Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
3,061
3,175
How many people that you’d consider credible have given an opinion on such a thing? Hagens is two months into his junior hockey career.

He’s better than Hughes. I don’t think it’s much of a debate. I don’t see an area where Hughes is more than slightly better, and Hagens is better defensively, shoots it better, and there’s a good chance he’ll be taller by draft day.
We'll see
 

bcspragu

Registered User
Aug 17, 2012
1,278
779
Saginaw, MI
Goal and assist through 2 periods tonight in Sarnia. For someone who was apparently initially denied exceptional status, he sure is scoring consistently at the OHL level. Credit to Saginaw for putting him in a good situation. I couldnt imagine if he was back in minor midget what #s hed be putting up.
 
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bcspragu

Registered User
Aug 17, 2012
1,278
779
Saginaw, MI
3 assists tonight vs Windsor. 2+ points in 5 out of the last 6 games hes played. Hes the leading rookie scorer by 8 pts and hes played 6 less games than 2nd place (teammate Joey Willis). He also has double the points of 2nd oa pick Spence in Erie who is the same draft year as him.
 

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