Saginaw Spirit The Saginaw Spirit is a junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw , Michigan . They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) , one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ) . History . The Saginaw Spirit were born when Dick Garber , the owner of several local automobile dealerships , purchased the North Bay Centennials and moved the team to Saginaw after the 2001 – 02 season , renaming it the Saginaw Spirit . The team traces its roots back to St . Catharines , Ontario , where it played as the Falcons , Teepees , and Black Hawks from 1943 – 1976 . It won two Memorial Cup championships as the Teepees , in 1954 and 1960 . In 1976 , the franchise moved to nearby Niagara Falls , where it was known as the Flyers . In 1982 , the team was moved again , this time to North Bay , and renamed the Centennials , where it remained until moving to Saginaw in 2002 . The Spirit have done extensive promotions in the Mid - Michigan area , increasing their fan base and season ticket - holder numbers . The Spirit have one of the highest attendance rates in the Ontario Hockey League . After three rebuilding seasons the Spirit clinched their first playoff berth on March 2 , 2006 , but lost in the first round to the Guelph Storm . They made the playoffs the following two seasons , but lost to the division rival Sault Ste . Marie Greyhounds both times , in six games in 2007 and in four games in 2008 . In 2009 , the Spirit won their first playoff series since relocating to Saginaw , sweeping Guelph in four games . They were then swept in the second round by the London Knights . On December 29 , 2013 , the Spirit and the Windsor Spitfires played the first ever outdoor game in Ontario Hockey League history . The game was played at Comerica Park in Detroit , Michigan . The Spitfires won the game 6 - 5 in front of a shortly lived Canadian Hockey League record of 25 , 749 spectators , surpassed later that night by the London Knights and Plymouth Whalers at the same venue . Coaches . The first coach in Saginaw Spirit history was Dennis Desrosiers . He was well known to local fans , with many years of hockey experience in Michigan . As a player he spent 10 years for the Saginaw Gears ( IHL ) , and spent time coaching the Flint Generals , Saginaw Generals & Kalamazoo Wings all in Michigan . In total , there have been four coaches in Saginaw Spirit history to date . " List of coaches . Numbers of seasons in parentheses . " Players . See complete list of all List of Saginaw Spirit alumni . NHL alumni . Since 2002 the Saginaw Spirit have graduated sixteen players who have played in the National Hockey League . Team records . < br clear = " all " > Season - by - season results . Regular season . Legend : OTL = Overtime loss , SL = Shootout loss Uniforms and logos . The Saginaw Spirit logo depicts an American bald eagle with the colors of the Stars and Stripes along its neck , on the words " Saginaw Spirit . " The uniform scheme is similar to that previously used by the U . S . A . national team . The home jerseys are white backgrounds with navy blue sleeves and red trim . The away jerseys are navy blue backgrounds with red sleeves and white trim . The Saginaw third jersey has a red background with navy blue sleeves and white trim , bearing across the chest the word " Saginaw " spelled diagonally downwards from left to right . Mascots . Saginaw ' s main mascot is " Sammy Spirit , " resembling an American bald eagle . The team held a vote on their website to name a new secondary mascot for the 2006 – 07 season . The mascot was named " Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle " after Stephen Colbert . Colbert had promoted the contest on his show , " The Colbert Report " . After naming the mascot after Colbert , the Spirit won seven straight games before losing to the Sarnia Sting on October 20 . Since then , " The Colbert Report " has featured ongoing comedy sketches related to the team , the mascot , and other teams in the Ontario Hockey League , especially the Oshawa Generals , and Oshawa , Ontario mayor John Gray . Arena . The Spirit play at Wendler Arena ( capacity 5 , 527 ) , which is part of The Dow Event Center complex in downtown Saginaw . The OHL All - Star Classic was hosted here in 2007 . This was the first time in history that the OHL All - Star Game was hosted in an American city . The Arena was formerly home to the Saginaw Gears , Saginaw Generals , Saginaw Hawks , Saginaw Wheels and the Saginaw Lumber Kings . Mid Michigan Spirit . The Saginaw Spirit in partnership with Meijer food stores sponsor the Mid Michigan Spirit , a women ' s hockey club based out of Midland , Michigan . The 16U team took second at the MAHA state tournament during the 2006 - 2007 season . A 16U team moved up to 19U for the 2007 - 2008 season and once again took second at the MAHA state tournament in Canton , Michigan on March 9 , 2008 .