Jimmy Devellano added to Saginaw Spirit’s ownership group
By @MichaelCaples –
The Saginaw Spirit have announced that Detroit Red Wings senior vice president and alternate governor Jim Devellano is now part of the ownership group for the Saginaw Spirit.
“We welcome Jim Devellano and his Stanley cup championship pedigree to the Saginaw Spirit organization,” said Spirit owner Dick Garber. “In his nearly 50 years in the game, there are few that have attained the success that Jim Devellano has. We look forward to working together to bring that same championship mindset to the Spirit in the coming years.”
Devellano, 73, is the owner of 16 championship rings – seven of which are from Stanley Cup titles.
“For many, many years, I’ve always had a desire because basically I’m an Ontario kid, grew up in Toronto, to buy an OHL team,” Devellano said during today’s teleconference with the Spirit. “Obviously as the price of franchises went up, it would be an impossibility – I don’t have the financial wherewithal to own a full team. But I always had the desire. About a decade ago, I meant a gentleman by the name of Craig Goslin, who was a good friend of Ken Holland’s, and through Ken’s friendship with Craig I became a friend of Craig’s. He used to reach out to me on occasion to ask me, you know, hockey questions, regarding Saginaw and what they might do or how they may do it. A long time ago, I jokingly said to him, ‘if there’s ever a chance to possibly buy into the Spirit, let me know.’ A month or two ago, Dick Garber and Craig reached out to me and gave me an opportunity to come in as a minority partner, and really the thoughts are that I can maybe help them on the hockey side of the franchise. That’s kind of how it happened.”
Devellano said he hopes his many hockey experiences will help the Spirit become a successful OHL franchise on the ice.
“What I’ll add to [the Spirit] is experience – 50 years of course in the NHL, the last 35 years in Detroit,” Devellano said. “I would say to you that I’ll add experience, knowledge, would be the things that I feel, I know, that I can add and help the franchise as we try to build a winner together.”
In a statement made during the announcement, Goslin said he is excited to work with one of his hockey mentors in a new capacity.
“We are honored to welcome into our ownership group Hall of Famer and seven-time Stanley Cup Champion Jimmy Devellano.” said Saginaw Spirit managing partner Craig Goslin. “He has been one of my mentors for many years and it is great to now have Jim as a partner. His experience, wisdom, and passion for the Saginaw Spirit and unique vision of the game make him very valuable as he advises and assists us to build the culture of a championship contender here in Saginaw. Jim knows what the right culture looks like as he and Ken Holland have been the architects of the Detroit Red Wings 25-year playoff run.”