By Carl Chimenti –
Saginaw Spirit defensemen Brad Walch has had the luxury of playing his entire Major Junior A hockey career at home and if all goes well he may have the same opportunity next year at the professional level.
The Saginaw native, from Thomas Township, is a product of the Michigan hockey system, and is the first and only player from his home town to suit up for the Saginaw Spirit. This past summer, Walch received an invite from the Detroit Red Wings to attend the team’s rookie camp in July at the Centre Ice Arena – also known as Hockeytown North – in Traverse City. The week-long camp, held annually after the NHL Draft, brings Red Wing drafted prospects along with a few free-agent invites for an education on what it takes to become a professional hockey player on and off the ice. The camp is run by Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Curt Fraser and his staff.
“It was an awesome experience,” said Walch, an over-ager and playing his final year in the OHL. “Craig Goslin (Spirit president and partner), received the phone call message and said that Detroit was really interested in me and wanted me to attend their rookie camp.
“The Detroit Red Wings is the greatest organization and to have the opportunity to learn from their coaching staff and be on the ice with all of their top prospects, like Brendon Smith, was something I will never forget.”
Walch grew up in the Bay County Blizzard travel hockey program, and went on to play for Honeybaked from 2004-2007. He was selected to play for Team USA as a member of the 17U select team in 2007, and shortly after joined the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League for one season. The Spirit drafted him in the OHL Priority Draft in May of 2008. Dan Haliburton, head scout for the Spirit at the time, thought highly of Walch and had plans to select him earlier, if but the team had traded their third and fourth-round picks and had to wait until the fifth round.
“Brad is more of a contain type defensemen,” noted Haliburton, at the time. “I would draw a little similarity towards a stay-at-home defenseman with a good offensive skill level. He moves the puck well and keeps things simple.”
Walch, now in his fourth season with the Spirit, can’t believe how fast the time has gone by.
“I have enjoyed every minute and it has been an awesome experience playing for my home team,” Walch said. “It’s been great because each of my first three years the Spirit has enjoyed great success, making the playoffs and of course winning the West Division Title last season was very memorable.”
The 6’1”, 207 lb. blueliner was a big contributor, setting career marks in goals (4), assists (21) and points (25), along with a plus-17, and he credits that success to an opportunity that presented itself.
“My first couple of seasons, we always had skill players like T. J. Brodie, so you just had to bide your time,” explained Walch. “As you get older you keep working on things and soon you become one of the go to guys, with a bigger role.”
Walch’s future plans have been put aside for now because there is still some unfinished business in Saginaw – especially with the team winning just two of their first ten games.
“It’s hard to explain the slow start but the only way to overcome that is to continue to listen to the coaches and for everyone to work even harder,” said Walch. “Early on we had to play a lot of rookies with so many guys away at NHL camps, but know they are all slowly returning and that should help. The confidence is still there and we know how much talent is in that dressing room.”
Spirit Notebook
The Spirit welcomed back forwards Josh Shalla, their single-season record goal scorer last year from the Nashville Predators, and Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks…Shalla’s return lasted all of a half period as he was given a 10-game suspension following a hit to the head to Matia Marcantuoni of the Kitchener Rangers…The Spirit held court and named their captains for the season. Defensemen Ryan O’Connor was selected as the team’s 11th captain, while Walch, Shalla and John McFarland were named alternate captains. Saginaw split their weekend games (Oct. 14-15), losing 7-2 in Sarnia, before coming home to snap a seven-game losing streak and winning for the first time at home, 6-4, over the Niagara IceDogs.