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Mike Sislo scores first ever NHL goal by a Superiorite

By Bill Berg, WiPH Staff, 03/30/16, 1:45PM CDT

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Hard to believe nobody from SoupTown had done it before.

On March 17, 2016, when the New Jersey Devils hosted in Minnesota Wild in a late-season NHL game, Mike Sislo from Superior scored two goals. He was over-shadowed in the game reports because Devante Smith-Pelly, who the Devils had just acquired from Montreal also scored twice, giving him six goals and three assists in his first seven games with New Jersey.

A week later, I got an email from my son telling me that “2003-2004 state runner up and 2004-2005 state champion Mike Sislo became the first Superior player to score a goal in the NHL.”

I found that a bit hard to believe. All those years, all those championships, all those great players, and no Superiorite has managed to score a goal in an NHL game? But as best I can find, he was right. Hats off to you Mike Sislo for breaking the seal on the NHL.

I thought back to my high school days, when John Santori stole his older brother’s roster spot as a sophomore and went on to become the first Superiorite in the WCHA. But John didn’t play in the NHL.

I remember the phenom that was Marty Wiitala a few years later, who set all kinds of Superior records and went to play for the Badgers in Madison. Marty was good enough that he was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars, but never made it to the show.

Many years later, when my youngest son was in high school there was big Joe Campbell who was drafted by the Calgary Flames and played a couple seasons with the Badgers. But he peaked too soon and did not play professionally.

So while we can be surprised that nobody made it there earlier, should we be surprised that Mike Sislo has reached the pinnacle of ice hockey? His former high school Coach Jason Kalin isn’t, “My first encounter with Mike Sislo was when he was a squirt in our association.  Erik Raygor and I were running youth hockey camps in the summertime at SAHA and Mike was one of the athletes on the ice with us.  My first impression of Mike was simple...he is the best skater I have seen come out of this town, ever!”

NHL Players Born in Wisconsin

from HockeyReference.com

Top Players from Superior, WI

from EliteProspects.com

Mike Sislo's Stats

Year League GP G A
05-06 USHL 57 3 3
06-07 USHL 60 23 26
07-08 NCAA 38 3 5
08-09 NCAA 38 19 12
09-10 NCAA 39 14 15
10-11 NCAA 39 15 33
10-11 AHL 3 0 0
11-12 AHL 59 9 18
12-13 AHL 61 13 13
13-14 AHL 59 23 18
13-14 NHL 14 0 0
14-15 AHL 65 20 20
14-15 NHL 10 0 1
15-16 AHL 54 27 25
15-16 NHL 14 2 1

“Sure, Superior has had fast and powerful skaters, but Mike made it look effortless.  He would skate circles, doing crossovers and pivots, and his whole body looked so still and balanced.  It was remarkable for a kid his age,” added Kalin.

After capturing the state championship with the Spartans in 2005 as a junior, Mike left Superior for a chance to play Junior Hockey with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. He struggled his first season, scoring just 3 goals and 3 assists, but blossomed in his second year, amassing 23 goals and 26 assists in 60 games.

That second season was good enough to draw the attention of the University of New Hampshire, where he played with a couple of Wisconsin little brothers, Scott Pavelski and Blake Kessel. Again, it took Mike a season to get himself acclimated. After scoring just 8 points in his first season, Sislo scored, 31, 29, and 48 in his next three, wearing the Captain’s “C” for his senior season.

Coach Kalin remembers the early struggles, “Mike left after his junior year to play in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers.  It took Mike some time to acclimate to the next level but eventually he was a significant contributor on that team.  I think the same could be about each of his transitions in hockey, from the Gamblers to New Hampshire to Albany to New Jersey.  He might be a late bloomer, but when he gets comfortable and gains the confidence, he always is a significant contributor on his teams.  He's a 200' player and always puts the team above himself.”

His scoring numbers have gone up each season with the Albany Devils, New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, to where he is near a point a game through 54 games this season. Kalin believes he has the skills and the work ethic to earn a regular spot with the big club, “As he grew up and developed as a player, his greatest skill sets were his skating and his shot.  Mike could flat out fly!  He wasn't that big when he was playing for the Spartans, but with his short stature and small frame, he was so quick and could open it up in a real hurry.  Did I mention the kid can shoot!?!  Mike had a quick release and could pretty much put the puck wherever he wanted.  Those things may seem like they came naturally to Mike, but Mike was also a hard worker.  I think he loved to be on the ice and when he wasn't he was working on some component of his game.”

Now that Sislo has blazed the trail, how long will he have to wait for another Superiorite to join him? Former Spartan teammate Brett Olson has a two way contract with the Florida Panthers and is currently with their AHL team. But the Internet is undecided on whether Brett was born in Superior or across the bay in Duluth. 2014 standout Aaron Miller will be joining Bemidji State next season, and there are a handful of skaters still making their way through the Junior Hockey maze. Hopefully, he won’t be alone for long.

If I missed anybody, please let me know in the comments.


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