Potential 2025 Top Draft Pick Suspended Just Days After Missing Team Canada Selection

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Dec 4, 2024 1:26 PM ET

Michael Misa is expected to be a top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but now he's dealing with a suspension issue after a surprise move on the ice.

The past week has been a very confusing one for Hockey Canada, as the team passed up on several top prospects for their 2024 World Juniors team.

One of the biggest omissions was Michael Misa, who is potentially set to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and in just 25 games this season he has absolutely dominated, posting 25 goals and 49 points in that time.

Now however, he shocked fans with his actions in a recent game where he shot a teddy bear back into the crowd during the annual hockey tradition of a teddy-bear toss.

The Ontario Hockey League has now confirmed that he will be serving a one-game suspension for his actions, officially citing a game misconduct for shooting an object off the playing surface.

This is likely just a brain snap for the taletned 17-year old, and while this shouldn't reflect too poorly on him, it was a well deserved one-game suspension given the laws of the Canadian Hockey League.

It's not like it was a hard object that would have hurt someone however, which makes it a little more palatable for the Spirit and their young 17-year old star, and with very little behavioural issues off the ice outside of this, it's safe to say that a team won't be looking at this as a negative.

Ultimately, he'll become one of the top-five draft picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, with a goal per game this season at the OHL level, and given his size and skill, this certainly won't hurt him as he looks to become a star at the next level.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: