Michigan Tech senior Justin Misiak (17) celebrates a goal against St. Thomas on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Houghton, Mich. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Justin Misiak, according to his head coach, Joe Shawhan, is a bit of a class clown.

Teammates describe the fifth-year senior as a necessary glue that holds a locker room together. Misiak said he’s just looking to further his education while taking one more shot at a national title.

“I think (to) further my education was the biggest thing in coming back,” he said, “and then obviously, I want another chance to win a national tournament here.”

Misiak is taking advantage of a unique opportunity this season unseen in college sports.

The COVID pandemic wiped out the WCHA championship tournament at the tail of his junior season, and caused gaps last season because of postponements and cancellations. The NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to student-athletes like Misiak to gain back playing opportunities previously sacrificed by the pandemic.

The 5-foot-10 forward looked at the options for turning pro after last season, and decided that it was in his best interest to come back to Michigan Tech and make use of that extra year with his friends and teammates in Houghton.

The extra year in a Huskies uniform is paying off for him.

“A big thing was just didn’t have the right deal that I wanted, after my season last year,” Misiak said. “I’d like to thank my coaches for providing me the opportunity to play another year of college hockey and further my education.”

Of course, getting a chance to have a more normal year was a factor.

“It was very exciting coming to this season,” he said. “It’ll be a little different from last season, more freedom and stuff. I think it just gave me another opportunity to play a normal year, which I was excited for.”

“Furthering my education is very important to me,” he said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that they gave me, and playing college hockey. I mean, it’s an unbelievable experience. A lot of people don’t get the opportunity, and I’m grateful for every day.”

Locker room glue

For Shawhan, having Misiak for another season meant that he would have one more player on the roster who understands what their coach is looking for day in and day out, which can be valuable in building a team.
”I think Justin embodies everything that you want,” Shawhan said. “He’s a fierce competitor. He brings a positive energy every day. He brings tenacity, which is one of the pillars of Michigan Tech University. I think he really embodies what Michigan Tech wants out of the student and how, (as an) athlete, he embodies everything: preparation, commitment, tenacity, everything that you want in an individual.”

Shawhan said Misiak has the type of personality that draws good attention in the Huskies’ locker room. He said Misiak means something a little different to each member of the team.

“He’s a comic,” Shawhan said. “He’s fun to be around. You gravitate towards him. All the guys gravitate towards him. I think if you probably ask guys, everybody has a different relationship. With some guys, it’s probably as a mentor. With some guys. it’s probably as a clown. With some guys, it’s probably in a teasing way. I don’t think he has a single dimension to him.”

Misiak just enjoys being around his teammates.

“I guess just my relationship I have with all the guys, I’m pretty close with everyone,” he said. “I like to ease the mood in the locker room and keep it loose when the time is right. So I think that’s big to have in the locker room.”

Given that a typical college hockey season is long, teams can play as many as 40 games once playoffs and national tournaments are over, having that player in the room who lightens the load can make all the difference.

“It’s a tough transition for guys coming in and stuff,” he said. “Then, obviously, it’s a long season and you just want to be able to take your mind off it at times, just, say, joke around in the locker room and just embrace the grind with the guys that are around you.”

Bringing Misiak to Michigan Tech

The St. Clair Shores native grew up as many young Michigan-born hockey players do, with focus on moving up the ranks, ultimately finding a path to the National Hockey League, namely the Detroit Red Wings play.

Misiak is no exception. He grew up in the Little Caesars system, getting to play at Joe Louis Arena, on the same home ice as the Red Wings. He was almost a point-per-game player with the 18U AAA squad before finding himself making the trek to the North American Hockey League, where he played a handful of games for the Amarillo Bulls at 18 before settling in with the Austin Bruins in Minnesota. Over two years with the Bruins, Misiak’s speed and tenacity shone through as he scored 17 goals and 35 points his first season before blossoming his second season, scoring 25 goals and 60 points in 60 games.

Shawhan kept an eye on Misiak throughout. Shawhan was looking for a player to fill the role that was opening on the Huskies’ roster with the graduation of C.J. Eick, a player with what coaches call a “perpetual motor” who works hard and does all of the little things that don’t appear on a score sheet, like chasing after a dump-in and relentless forecheck.

“I had always been intrigued by him back when he played for Little Caesars for Billy Ciraulo at Little Caesars,” said Shawhan. “So I remember calling Billy, saying, ‘Hey, Billy, tell me, you know, I’ve always been intrigued by Justin Misiak, a former player of yours.’ He said, ‘No-brainer,’ Billy fully endorsed him. So I went out a few times, watched him, talked to him and recruited him. We were able to get him to come here, and he’s going to get a great degree.”

Continuing, and leaving, his legacy

While a jokester off the ice, Misiak is serious on the ice. It’s led to him taking lessons learned from previous teammates and trying to pay them forward to the next set of young Huskies.

“I try to be a leader on the ice,” Misiak said. “I show them the correct ways of doing it and stuff. Then, if they do something wrong that I noticed, I’ll go up to them and try and talk to them, ‘Hey, try to do this next time.’ Just to help them moving forward.”

Misiak learned from a group of players Shawhan would consider to be a solid batch of leaders in former Huskies like Brent Baltus, Jake Lucchini and Dylan Steman.

“I was able to look up to a lot of guys when I was a freshman here, like Baltus (and) Lucchini. Dylan Stemen, because I was on a line with him my freshman year, he really took me under his wing and really helped me out to become the player I am today.”

Finding success is not always easy

Misiak’s contributions to the team are not always on the scoresheet. He has just 23 goals and 56 points in 161 career games. As Shawhan puts it, he has an ability to step up when the team needs a big play out of him.

“A quality that Justin has, that you look for in anybody, is when you need him, he’s there,” Shawhan said. “The bigger the moment, the bigger impact he has. That’s what you’re looking for, in anybody, in any endeavor, in anything you do. When you’re needed most, are you there? He is, and that’s the biggest tribute you can give to somebody, in my opinion.”

As a freshman, Misiak scored the game-winning goal to defeat Minnesota-Duluth in Duluth to win the Icebreaker Tournament. As a junior, in the Great Lakes Invitational championship, he made a pass to Logan Pietila that resulted in Pietila’s winning goal against Michigan.

This year, he made his season debut at Clarkson, after missing the season’s first three games. It took him six games to get on the scoresheet and another six to pick up his first goal of the season, which just so happened to be a power play goal at Minnesota State. He followed that up with two goals against St. Thomas on Dec. 10.

Team success first

While he enjoys scoring, Misiak’s focus remains on doing what is best for the team.

“It’s obviously nice to score,” he said. “But, my main focus is to go out there and play hard every game and create those turnovers, create scoring opportunities for my linemates, or for myself, as well. It was nice to get on the board, but we just don’t really focus on that. I just want to make sure I’m contributing to the team each night.”

His coach feels that is exactly what he gets out of Misiak.

“People gravitate towards warriors. Those guys are leaders,” Misiak. “So if you’re pulling for Justin, it’s not because he’s an underdog, you’re pulling for him because he’s a warrior.”

Even his teammates notice the effort he puts in every game.

“I mean, he’s playing great hockey for us,” said co-captain Trenton Bliss after Friday’s game. “(He got) a big goal last weekend for us against Mankato, kind of got us on the board and got us rolling. Then, two big ones (Dec. 10). You can’t say enough about (the) guy. He’s been here for five years, doing it consistently day in and day out. It’s good for the younger guys to see that, and it’s good for him to have that success.”