Sep 03, 2026
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First-year coach Brendan Taylor greeted a solid nucleus of returning players at the Saginaw Spirit’s 2026-27 training camp.
In addition to that core of talented players are two netminders – Stepan Shurygin and Brady Knowling - who will be battling for playing time. Shurygin is a big goaltender at 6-foot-5, and he plays massive, coming out to the top of the crease to cut down on angles. When combined with his good read of releases, it’s not a surprise that he’s difficult to beat cleanly. The 18-year-old Russian native played in 59 games for the Spirit a year ago and sported a 3.79 goals-against-average and a 24-27-7 record.
Similarly, Knowling is another rangy 6-foot-5 backstop who hails from Toronto and maximizes his frame even more when challenging shooters, coming out to the top of the crease. The netminder has strong movement habits and can also generate strong push power when necessary. Last year was a busy one for Knowling as he backstopped the U.S. National U18 team where he was 15-12-0 with a 3.56 GAA. He also racked up an 8-5-1 record for the USNTDP Juniors in the United States Hockey League.
“Both are NHL-drafted goalies, which is really unique for us,” said Taylor. “Individually, it’s a built-in competitiveness. There’s an opportunity for both guys to play often. We aren’t going to run one of them into the ice. Sure, they’ll be battling for ice time, but in the long run it will make our practices better and more productive for everyone. It’ll be on the coaches to match that dynamic, too.”
Knowling and Shurygin are property of the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively.
That solid nucleus that Taylor welcomed to training camp includes Dimian “Dima” Zhilkin, Levi Harper, Carson Harmer, Josh Glavin, Jacob Cloutier, Brody Pepoy, Bode Stewart and Ryan Hanrahan. A closer look at those icers begin with Zhilkin, the Spirit captain.
Dima Zhilkin: The 5-foot-10, 180-pound right winger burst onto the scene in 2024-25 when he tallied 16 goals and 27 assists (43 points) in 54 games for the Spirit. He surpassed those numbers last season when he recorded 75 points (36 goals, 39 assists) in 59 contests. To show his versatility, he was +11 and +15 in those two seasons. Zhilkin, a Toronto, Canada, product, played for Canada U18 in the WJC18 tourney and netted seven points in five games. He also tallied three points in five games during the 2025-26 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
“My biggest focuses in the offseason were to add some muscle and to get faster,” said Zhilkin. “It was particularly important that I was able to improve my first three steps both on the ice and in my dryland training. I also wanted to improve my smaller stick details like protecting the puck under pressure. I’m willing to do whatever my team needs me to do to win, and a lot of the time that means taking care of things in our own end. I compete for every puck I can no matter where we are on the ice.”
Levi Harper: A solid defenseman from Tampa, Florida, Harper had a very solid 2025-26 campaign where he netted 57 points in 68 regular-season games with 12 goals and 45 assists. He played on the U.S. National U18 team and was a member of the U.S. U18 Men’s Select team that won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Additionally, in 2024 he played in the U17 Five Nations Tournament as a member of the U.S. U-17 Men’s Select squad. The 18-year-old stands 5-foot-11 and is 180 pounds.
“My experience at the Hlinka Gretzky is something that I will remember for the rest of my life,” viewed Harper. “It is always such an honor having the opportunity to put on a USA jersey, but to win gold medal was absolutely incredible. I also think the success and role that I was able to have at this tournament prepared me for my year in Saginaw last year. It is my goal this year to pick up where I left off and do exceedingly more than what I did last year. I’m going to do whatever I can to bring my team as far as possible, which hopefully is the memorial cup, while being a leader on the team and on the back end.”
Carson Harmer: The 5-foot-10, 185-pound centerman is from Mitchell, Ontario, Canada. Harmer’s game is defined by his remarkable consistency. The left-handed shooter is effective in all three zones. He wins battles and quickly finds the best passing option off the wall. During his first season with the Spirit (2024-25), he recorded 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 68 games. A year ago, he notched 44 points in 66 games (18 goals, 26 assists).
Josh Glavin: The 19-year-old defenseman checks in at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. Glavin’s physicality is his defining skill. Hammering players to the boards on the rush, reverse-hitting on retrievals, and boxing out players with crosschecks. While he doesn’t constantly seek out open ice contact the way other defenders do, the punishing rush defender is more than capable of sending players flying by stepping up with well-timed checks. His top season to date for the Spirit came in 2024-25 when he tallied 15 points while racking up 97 penalty minutes. He is from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
Jacob Cloutier: He plays a fast, intense style, combining energy, physicality, and diverse rush patterns to consistently attack the offensive zone. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound right winger hails from Gloucester, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Consistency accumulated 47 points in both 2024-25 and 2025-26. He had 23 goals and 24 assists in ’24-25 and 22 goals and 25 assists in ’25-26.
Brody Pepoy: The Troy, MI native never stops working If he’s not first on a puck, he makes sure the opponent feels it. He sprints hard into every play. In 67 games last season, the 18-year-old forward scored 16 goals and racked up 13 assists for 29 points. He is 6-foot-2, and 185 pounds.
Bode Stewart: The 6-foot-1, 180-pound left winger is a dynamic transition attacker, driven by non-stop pace, constant east-west movement, and an eye for gaps in the defense. Stewart, from Oakville, Ontario, Canada, split time between the Barrie Colts and the Spirit last season. He played in 18 games for the Spirit, recording two goals, while coming away with 12 points for Barrie (3 goals, 9 assists).
Ryan Hanrahan: The Concord, Ontario, Canada product is a 6-foot-1, 165-pound winger. He played in 46 games for the Spirit a year ago and compiled 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists). A member of the Team Canada White team for the 2025 U17 World Challenge, he is expected to play a bigger role with Saginaw in 2026-27,
“Yes, we do have a solid nucleus,” said Taylor. “It’s really exciting to see the quality of players that make up the core of our team. It makes for a real exciting start of the year, and I can’t wait to start working with them. “Cloutier, Harper and Zhilkin are all highly touted.”
Along with the previously mentioned icers, Taylor welcomes three outstanding newcomers to the Spirit organization: Drew Bate: The Spirit’s 1st round pick is an athletic 5-foot-19, 178-pound centerman from Union, Ontario, Canada. A year ago, he played for the London Jr. Knights (U16, AAA) where he racked up 72 points with 34 goals and 28 assists. It didn’t stop there. He dominated the eight playoff games he played in with 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists). Additionally, in OHL Cup action, he accumulated 13 points in six games (7 goals, 6 assists).
“I got to see him while coaching against him at the U17 tournament,” said Taylor. “He’s a confident, young guy and an intelligent, young guy. A real high-end player. He’s dominated everywhere he’s played and we’re excited he’s a Saginaw Spirit player and we can’t wait to work with him.”
Bate said his first impressions of Saginaw’s development camp were great. “It was easy to see how professional and well run the program is. I liked that the organization introduced and taught the Saginaw style of play. It makes me feel confident coming into such a well-run organization and I look forward to developing my game in Saginaw.”
“I felt my whole year with the Knights was great,” Bate continued. “I learned so much and became a better player every day. I felt at the end of the year my game felt good. My team and I were able to win our league championship, and I was able to produce well the whole time. After playoffs in the OHL Cup my team and I played well and made the semi-finals but unfortunately fell short regardless of some great hockey. I feel I learned a lot from the Jr. Knights organization and my last year there will help me a lot for this coming year.”
The two other newcomers Taylor and the Spirit Team are high on are Kyler Lauder, a 2nd round selection, and Alexander Milojevic, a 2025 pick who signed with Saginaw after a year with the US NTDP. Lauder, from Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada, is a 5-foot-10, 157-pounder who can play either center of left wing. The 16-year-old played for the Central Ontario Wolves U16 AAA “A” team last season where in 32 games he netted 35 goals and 34 assists for 69 assists. Milojevic, meanwhile, hails from Chicago, IL. He is a 6-foot, 185-pound forward who had a busy 2025-26. He scored 15 points for the U.S. National U17 team and recorded eight points for the USNTDP Juniors.
“My goal and the goal of the other coaches is to get better every game, every week, and every month,” reflects Taylor. “It’s our responsibility to improve each player on the team. After that, the cards will fall how they fall. We’ve got a very good core group coming back. “It’s up to our returning players to show the newcomers what it means to be a Saginaw Spirit.”
After training camp ends and prior to the start of the regular season, the Saginaw Spirit team will be flying to Newfoundland, Canada, for three games. Newfoundland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean and part of the easternmost province of Canada, officially named Newfoundland and Labrador. It sits off the mainland of North America, blocked from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and positioned just south of the Labrador region and east of Quebec.
“The inter-league play is something the CHL came up with and (GM Dave Drinkill) Drinks jumped all over it,” said Taylor. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “It pits teams against other CHL teams they normally don’t see. It will help us with team bonding and team building. It’s not very often you get to travel by plane to play hockey. It’ll give the players and coaches an opportunity to see a different part of Canada.”
The Saginaw Spirit opens its 2026-27 season on the road against Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, Sept. 18. One day later, Saturday, Sept. 19, they will host the Flint Firebirds at 7:05 p.m. at the Wendler Arena inside the Dow Event Center in Downtown Saginaw.
Saginaw Spirit Celebrate Silver Anniversary
The upcoming 2026-27 hockey season will be the Saginaw Spirit’s 25th year of hockey operations.
The Spirit organization, which debuted in 2002, has created a 25th anniversary logo in black and silver - a la the Las Vegas Raiders color scheme – and are selling the anniversary-themed hats, clothing, merchandise, and even lapel pins at its retail outlet at 6321 State Street in Saginaw Township, just east of Timbers Bar & Grill.
Additionally, the Spirit have announced their schedule of promotional events for the 2026-2027 season. Fan favorites like Teddy Bear Toss and the Shocks and Saves game return once again, along with new ways to celebrate like The Life of the Spirit (Sammy’s Version).
The promotional events for the first part of the 2026-27 Season include:
Sept. 19th – Home Opener Celebration and Rally Towel Giveaway
Sept. 26th – Women’s Hockey Day
Oct. 10th – Ice Out Cancer presented by MyMichigan Health (Postgame Jersey Auction)
Oct. 17th – Slapshot Night presented by the Spirit Warriors (Slapshot glasses giveaway
Oct. 18th – Gotta Collect ‘Em All Night presented by JJ’s Sportscards & Collectibles, Mascot Hockey Game presented by McDonald’s; Postgame Autographs and Poster Giveaway presented by The Stadium
Oct. 23rd – Pride Night presented by Dow
Oct. 30th – A Kid Again Night
Oct. 31st – Halloween, Trick or Treating in the Jolt Celebration Club
Nov. 8th – Robotics Night presented by Hemlock Semiconductor; Postgame Skate with the Players
Nov. 14th – Military Appreciation Night presented by the Michigan Elks (Postgame Jersey Auction)
Nov. 28th – The Life of the Spirit (Sammy’s Version)
Dec. 5th – First Responders Night presented by Fisher Companies; Postgame Autographs and Poster Giveaway presented by The Stadium
Dec. 17th – Non-Profit Night
Dec. 19th – Teddy Bear Toss presented by GFL Environmental
The Saginaw Spirit also announced a season’s worth of planned community outreach events to celebrate their 25th year of hockey in Saginaw. The ‘Spirit of Service: 25 Days, 25 Ways’ will be a series of 25 volunteer opportunities for the team’s players and staff in communities across the Great Lakes Bay Region.
“It has been a privilege to have spent 25 years working and playing in the Great Lakes Bay Region,” saidPresident and Managing Partner Craig Goslin. “As we celebrate this quarter-century, it’s important that we find ways to remind ourselves of the reasons we love playing here. This community has been so kind and welcoming to us from the beginning, it’s important that we pay extra attention to return some of that kindness during this anniversary celebration.”
As the summer draws to a close, the 25 Days, 25 Ways have already begun, with staff assisting in the Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan’s annual community revitalization event, painting and repairing more than a dozen houses in Saginaw.
The Great Lakes Bay Region is strongest when we invest in the people and organizations that make our communities thrive,” said Director of Sales and Public Relations Tera Szeliga. “Our nonprofit and resource-driven organizations provide essential support, create opportunities, and strengthen the quality of life for families across the region. They are the foundation of a strong economic community, and as we celebrate 25 years of Saginaw Spirit hockey, it’s important that our team gives back to the community that has supported us, welcomed us, and helped make our success possible for the last quarter-century.”
The Spirit of Service program will unfold across the entire 2026-2027 season. Additional projects will include serving in local soup kitchens, CPR training, and reading days at local schools.
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