The Saginaw Spirit Select Harrison Kaszubowski
ALPENA, MI – With the 276th overall pick of the Ontario Hockey League draft, the Saginaw Spirit select Alpena’s Harrison Kaszubowski.
On Saturday, Kaszubowski spent his time watching and waiting for his name to be called during the 2023 Priority Selection. In the 14th round, the Alpena Wildcat heard his name called. “I saw my name pop up on the board,” said Kaszubowski. “It was kind of a buzz after that.” Shortly after, he received a phone call from the Saginaw Spirit’s General Manager confirming their selection.
Recently turning 16-years-old, the sophomore had a breakout campaign for the Alpena Wildcats. Kaszubowski tallied 30 goals and 30 assists in the regular season. He also clocked in four assists in Alpena’s Regional Championship win over Marquette. The sophomore was the only player drafted from an MHSAA team this past season.
Shortly after the news broke, Kaszubowski received an overwhelming amount of support. Aside from congratulations coming from coaches and teammates, the community of Alpena has shown nothing but pride for the Wildcat. “People I don’t really even talk to everyday were reaching out and congratulating me,” he said. “It was awesome to see the support.”
The winger’s game consists of many skills that will continue to develop at the next level. Head Coach Ben Henry knew Kaszubowski’s natural talent and work ethic would have scouts calling. “He doesn’t slow down and he’s a very hard working kid,” he said. “His release with his shot is unbelievable for a kid his age.”
With aspirations to play professional hockey, joining the OHL was a no-brainer for Kaszubowski. The league has a long history of producing some of the NHL’s best. “The OHL sends a ton of players onto the pro level,” he said. “My goal is to hopefully play pro at some point in my life.”
Kaszubowski and his fellow draft picks will be getting straight to work soon. He will be heading to development camp with hopes of making the Spirit’s 2023-24 roster.
