Another Red Wing with Spirit
As second-year general manager Dave Drinkill carefully positions the Saginaw Spirit to climb the Western Conference ladder, the front office of the 15-year old Ontario Hockey League team has added another Stanley Cup champion.
Former Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood — who tended twine for 17 years in the National Hockey League — has become a part owner of the Saginaw OHLers.
Osgood’s commitment to the Saginaw ownership group comes shortly after Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano also became a minority owner of the Spirit.
As the 43-year old Osgood earned three Stanley Cup rings from his days with the Red Wings, the 73-year old Devellano has been a part of four Stanley Cup teams in Detroit.
Osgood, who played in 744 regular-season games and in another 129 playoff matches throughout his lengthy NHL career, said he approached ownership in Saginaw about buying into the Spirit.
“They didn’t really have to convince me to join…it was more me convincing them to let me in,” said the Canadian-born Osgood. “It’s been a dream of mine to be an owner in the Canadian Hockey League.”
Osgood has seen a lot of the Spirit and the OHL — and likes what he sees.
“I spent a lot of time (in Saginaw) the past three years, scouting players for the Red Wings. I can see the potential,” he told MLive.com. “I also spend a lot of time at Joe Louis Arena and I’m tired of walking around there hearing people talk about teams in London and Windsor. I want to hear more talk about the Saginaw Spirit.”
Founder Dick Garber remains the primary owner and governor of the Spirit, with Craig Goslin the president and managing partner. Osgood and Saginaw businessman Brandon Bordeaux join Devellano as new partners in the Spirit ownership group.
“We think our franchise is a whole-lot better now,” Garber said. “We have done so many things with this franchise in 14 years but the one thing we have not done is close the loop to a championship hockey club.”
Osgood said his job will be to listen, teach and build relationships with the coaches and players in Saginaw.
And as Goslin just recently gave the thumbs up to bringing Devellano aboard, so too is he thrilled to add Osgood to the Spirit front office.
“I talked to (Red Wings general manager) Ken Holland about Chris and he told me that he sees the game as well as anybody,” Goslin said. “More than anything, Chris is a consultant to the culture that we want in Saginaw. He’s seen it. He’s experienced it.”
Osgood’s numbers as a championship NHL goalie speak volumes.
Not only was he in net for 401 NHL regular-season victories, Osgood posted another 74 playoff wins. His 401 regular-season wins are the 10-most in NHL history.
Saginaw finished in eighth place in the Western Conference in 2015-2016 and lost to the Erie Otters in the first round of the playoffs.
As a rookie GM in ’15-16, the aforementioned Drinkill fired veteran head coach Greg Gilbert late in the season and replaced him with Spirit northern scout Moe Mantha on an interim basis.
Mantha has since returned to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as head coach of the French River Rapids, paving the way for Drinkill to hire 34-year old Spencer Carbery as the new bench boss in Saginaw. Drinkill and Carbery are both seen as rising stars in their respective positions.
PHOTO: Former Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood is now a minority owner of the Saginaw Spirit.
I don’t know if this will have anything to do with what happens on the ice, but starting the front office staff is key. From there, the Spirit can get the right players and put a team together. Saginaw is in it’s 15th season, and they do well in the community.