OSHAWA, ON — The banner with John Tavares’ retired number 91 hangs from the rafters here at the west end of the Tribute Communities Centre, an honor for the star forward who had 383 points (183 goals, 200 assists) with Oshawa in the Ontario Hockey League in 2005. -2009.

How fitting then that Michael Misa’s second-period goal was scored directly under this batter in the Canadian Hockey League’s 3-2 victory over the United States in Game 2 of the CHL Prospects Challenge in the United States, Wednesday.

In 2005, Tavares was the first player to achieve exceptional status in the CHL, allowing him to be selected first overall in the OHL draft by Oshawa in 2005 and playing in the League at the age of 15. Now known unofficially as the “John Tavares Rule”, it opened the door for players considered to have skills above their age group and be able to compete with players at the next level.

Seventeen years after Tavares became a pioneer in this regard, Misa achieved exceptional status himself in 2022 and was selected No. 1 by the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL draft. Now that the 17-year-old forward faces the expectations of being projected as a top-five pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, he recognizes how Tavares paved the way for kids like him who were ready to play junior hockey before time. .

“I’m just trying to follow in his footsteps,” Misa said. “Try to take the things I can learn from his game and bring them to mine.

“He is one of the most reliable players around and a very good 200-footer. And what he did in the NHL is pretty incredible.
The same goes for some of the things Misa is cooking up in Saginaw.

Only nine players earned exceptional status: Tavares, Misa, Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Shane Wright, Connor Bedard, Joe Veleno, Sean Day and Landon DuPont, the Everett Silvertips defenseman who added his name to the list at the end. from last season.
Some, like Tavares, McDavid and Ekblad – who were first overall picks in the NHL draft – have had exceptional NHL careers. Others, like Day, who only played two games in the NHL, didn’t, an example that exceptional status doesn’t always guarantee you’ll be a star at the next level.

Although there is still a long way to go, there are indications that Misa is succeeding in her quest to follow Tavares’ path to success.

Through 23 games with Saginaw, he leads the OHL in goals (23) and points (46). In doing so, he’s on pace to reach 130 points, something that hasn’t been accomplished since Tavares had 134 during the 2006-07 season as a 16-year-old with Oshawa. He also has the chance to become the first 80-goal scorer in the League since Cornwall’s Ray Sheppard in 1985-86.

Like Tavares, he managed to put together such mind-blowing numbers that highlight every goal, every assist, every scoring play. Of course, like Tavares, being scrutinized is something that became normal from the moment each of them was granted exceptional status.

For Misa, he embraces notoriety in his own way.

“I think the most important thing is to block the pressure,” he said. “You know, I’ve had pressure and expectations on me since I entered the OHL. The way I’ve learned to think about it is that you can only control what you do on the ice. And you learn how to prepare yourself off the ice and block out everything else.

It’s a philosophy that suits him very well. Just ask the NHL general managers and scouts who were on hand to watch on Wednesday.

Make no mistake. Misa is a much more natural skater than Tavares, although the two share a cerebral way of seeing the entire ice and having a nose for the net.

“Great skating, skill, I mean, he just understands the game and has great hockey sense,” Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy told NHL.com during the second intermission Wednesday. “You look out there, and he has such a tremendous skill set.

“He’s the complete package.”

Misa and Tavares have another thing in common: They both grew up in Oakville, a town 15 miles west of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario.

“I actually met him a few times at lacrosse events,” Misa said. “We actually both had the same lacrosse coach at the time. When this lacrosse coach, Rob MacDougall, passed away, they held a charity event for him every year. So I saw John there a few times and talked to him.

“It was pretty cool.”

The same goes for Misa’s quest to follow Tavares’ example. After all, with 1,060 points (465 goals, 595 assists) in 1,130 NHL games, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward has carved out an exceptional career.

This is something Misa looks to emulate over the next two decades.