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SPIRIT REBORN:

On the Eve of  Their Season Opener, Coach Dennis Desrosiers

Sharpens the Edge on the New Saginaw Spirit Hockey Team

By Jack B. Tany

Review Sports Columnist

Desrosiers played 11 years in the IHL with the Gears and the Flint Generals

and averaged 65 points-per-season during his career, which began after two

years in the old Eastern Hockey League.

Three different times he scored more than 95 points in a season and he was

a four-time IHL All-Star. He helped Saginaw win a Turner Cup championship

in 1976-77 and ranks 19th on the IHL's all-time scoring list (359 goals)

and 12th on the league's all-time penalty minute list (1,986).

"I saw Saginaw when it was a great hockey town," said Desrosiers, who still

keeps in touch with a number of his ex-teammates.  "I talk to guys like Stu

Irving and Marcel Comeau. We don't talk on a weekly basis . . . it's more

like once or twice a year. But I stay in contact with Jimmy Johnson, Paul

Evans, Tommy Thompson and Gordie Malinowski. And (Dave) Westner, (Warren)

Holmes and (Jean-Marie) Nicol are still in the Saginaw area."

Desrosiers entered the coaching ranks in 1984 and went straight to the top

- leading the IHL's Flint Generals to thhe Turner Cup championship. He

coached one more season in Flint before moving behind the bench for three

years for the now-defunct Saginaw Generals, where he led them to the

playoffs each year.

In 1990, he joined the Cincinnati Cyclones and led the team through its

first four years of existence. Desrosiers then coached the Birmingham Bulls

for 4 1/2 seasons prior to serving a two-year stint as head coach and

director of hockey operations for the Kalamazoo Wings.

In his 15 years as a head coach, Desrosiers has compiled a 547-453-81

record (.547). Only twice in those 15 seasons has his team finished below

the .500 mark.

During his playing days people may remember Desrosiers for his scoring

ability as well as his fighting ability. The latter, however, has not

transformed to his coaching. Desrosiers says his coaching style has not

changed throughout his years of coaching.  "Early in my coaching career I

had a couple of flare-ups," he explained.  "But anybody who has passion for

the game gets a little worked up."

Desrosiers said he is too old to play softball and men's hockey anymore. So

nowadays he relaxes by chasing the little white ball around the golf

course.  "I play it and enjoy it. At one time I had a fairly low handicap

but this summer I've been a little too busy," said Desrosiers, who resides

in Saginaw with his wife Sherry and daughters Shawna and Marissa.

Saginaw's loyal hockey fans - and a number of area businesses - have been

more than a little worked up after being burned by the past couple of team

owners, including the last team which packed up and departed in the middle

of the night. Desrosiers has viewed the demise of the hockey franchises in

Saginaw. That's why he speaks highly of team owner Richard Garber.

"Dick is an astute businessman and a great sports fan," said Desrosiers.

"He's been like a sponge, absorbing every aspect about hockey. He knows

business and he's loving it and enjoying the challenge. The community has

really embraced the team. As Dick says, it's the community's team - not

his. I think this (new team) is a great thing for the community. I've been

involved in a start-up before (Cincinnati) and it's a lot of fun. Everybody

is upbeat and has a great attitude."

"There's been a bad rap on Saginaw hockey fans about not supporting the

team," continues Desrosiers. "But there just hasn't been the talent that's

measured up to the IHL in the 1970s."

Desrosiers said fans could expect a different brand of hockey when the

Spirit takes the ice for the first time. The league bills itself as the

'NHL stars of tomorrow.' And for good reason. The Ontario Hockey League,

which is part of the Canadian Hockey League, is the world's largest hockey

league and is the developmental ground for more than 70 percent of the

players currently in the National Hockey League. Nine members of the

Detroit Red Wings began their careers in the OHL, including Steve Yzerman,

Brendan Shanahan, Darren McCarty and Kris Draper.

"They (players) are fresh and want to learn," said Desrosiers.  "It's

really going to be a great pleasure and challenge."

"It's different for me . . . sort of like a rebirth," the coach added.  "I

played and coached pro hockey. With these (younger) guys, you have to do

things different. You look at a lot of film, you are teaching more, and

then there's the development on and off the ice. You really have to be

astute and put the fellows in the right positions, especially in the early

going."

A true sign of a great leader is to surround yourself with great people.

Garber is no exception. He has assembled a solid cast of employees:

President and General Manager Costa Papista, Vice President of Marketing

and Sales Craig Goslin, Director of Public and Community Relations Cameron

Knowles, Director of Game-Day Operations Ian Ellis, Education Consultant

Bob Pratt, goaltender coach Darrin Madeley, and head scout Dan Halliburton.

The Spirit will face off against the Sarnia Sting in its home opener

Saturday, September 21 at Saginaw County Event Center's renovated Wendler

Arena.  The game is sold out. Their entire 68-game schedule will be

broadcast on Eagle 97.3 FM. In addition, WNEM TV-5 will broadcast the

team's opening game with Mickey Redmond and Ken Daniels, the television

voices of the Detroit Red Wings, providing the color commentary and

play-by-play.

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