Memorial Cup host Spirit make a splash with additions of Beck, Donovan
The Saginaw Spirit made waves on Monday, acquiring two former OHL champions who recently returned from representing Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden.
The Spirit, who will host the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow this coming May and June, bolstered their lineup down the middle with the acquisition of former OHL champion Owen Beck from the Peterborough Petes. One of the league’s top performers in the faceoff circle, Beck has produced 30 points (16-14–30) through 25 games with Peterborough this season after playing an integral role in their championship run last spring, collecting 16 points (8-8–16) in 22 playoff games.
“We’re thrilled that we can add a player of Owen Beck’s caliber to an already elite group,” said Spirit GM Dave Drinkill. “He’s already proven himself as a winner, boosting Peterborough to an OHL Championship and helping Team Canada to World Junior Gold last season. We know Owen will be a huge asset in the pursuit of our ultimate goal this season.”
A Port Hope, Ont. resident, Beck made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens on an emergency basis on Jan. 28, 2023. He was Montreal’s second round (33rd overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and over the course of his OHL tenure, has collected 147 points (61-86–147) over 153 regular season games between Peterborough and the Mississauga Steelheads. Selected by the Trout in the second round (29th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Beck was both OHL and CHL Scholastic Player of the Year in 2022.
The Spirit dealt 16-year-old forward and first round 2023 OHL Priority Selection choice Aiden Young, along with three draft picks to Peterborough to complete the deal.
Drinkill wasn’t finished with that big move, going-on to complete a trade with the Brantford Bulldogs to acquire Beck’s Canadian World Junior teammate, defenceman Jorian Donovan.
The 19-year-old from Richmond, Ont. and son of former long-time NHL forward Shean Donovan joins the Spirit after recently becoming the all-time leading goal-scorer among Bulldogs blueliners. The 6-foot-2, 195Ib. Donovan was a fifth-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2022 NHL Draft and has produced 28 points (9-19–28) in 34 games with Brantford this season.
“The acquisition of Jorian Donovan checks so many boxes for us,” said Drinkill. “The amount of experience this young man has packed into his hockey career is remarkable, and that naturally leads to the character and leadership qualities our staff seeks out. We believe we’ve gotten the best two-way defender in the league.”
Originally selected by Hamilton with the sixth overall pick of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Donovan has accumulated 95 points (24-71–95) in 153 regular season games over three seasons with the Bulldogs. He was part of Hamilton’s 2022 OHL championship team, collecting three points (1-2–3) over 13 games during that playoff run. Donovan made his pro debut with the AHL’s Belleville Senators following Hamilton’s exit from last year’s OHL Playoffs, appearing in two contests.
Saginaw sent a total of eight draft picks to Brantford to acquire Donovan, who has developed into one of the league’s premier blueliners throughout his time with the Bulldogs franchise.
The Spirit return to the ice with their two newest additions on Wednesday, visiting the Windsor Spitfires at 7:05pm.
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