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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Drinkill Tapped as Director of Operations for U17 World Hockey Challenge

July 12, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Calgary, AB - Hockey Canada announced Friday that Spirit GM Dave Drinkill will serve as a director of hockey operations for their U17 program. The 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge takes place November 1st-9th in Sarnia, Ont. He becomes the first general manager in Spirit history to receive the international call.

"I'm humbled and honored to be representing Canada on an international stage for the first time," said Drinkill. "This is a position I've coveted for years now, and to get the call was nothing short of thrilling. I look forward to getting to work at camp in a few weeks and begin to build towards a gold medal."

From Elmvale, Ont., Dave Drinkill just finished his ninth season as the general manager of the Saginaw Spirit with the organization's first Memorial Cup Championship. Since his arrival in July of 2015, Drinkill's Spirit teams have gone on to win three West Division titles (2019, 2020, 2024) and appear in two Western Conference Finals (2019, 2024). This season under Drinkill was the most successful regular season in franchise history, where the team hit the 50-win and 100-point plateaus for the first time (50-16-1-1, 102pts).

Twenty-one Spirit players have gone on to become NHL draft picks since Drinkill arrived in Saginaw, including each of its highest picks in team history. Cole Perfetti (10th overall, WPG, 2010) and Pavel Mintyukov (10th overall, ANA, 2022) had been the high-water mark until this past June. Zayne Parekh set himself apart when he was drafted ninth overall by the Calgary Flames at the 2024 NHL Draft. Parekh was drafted by Drinkill and the Spirit 19th overall in 2022.

Drinkill was an assistant general manager for the Barrie Colts prior to his arrival in Saginaw. His four seasons as AGM followed his break into hockey as the Colt's analyst and video coach from 2006-2011.

The U17 program will begin its preparation for the World Hockey Challenge with a development camp in Oakville, Ont. from July 18th-24th.

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