Paterson stopped 39-of-40 shots in his return to the OHL on Saturday (Terry Wilson, OHL Images)

If there was ever a season to semi-unexpectedly end up with a star overage goalie, this is it.

Due to a numbers game in the Detroit Red Wings system, two-time Team Canada goalie Jake Paterson, who would surely be turning pro if he belonged to almost any other NHL organization, returned to the Saginaw Spirit last weekend. The OHL club has talked about a "starting a rebuild" during a season that happens to shape up as one where it will be a seller's market as far as seasoned goaltending is concerned.

On Monday, Spirit GM Jim Paliafito affirmed that getting Paterson back has not altered the franchise's outlook.

"The return of Jake Paterson will not change our plans of a rebuild this year," Paliafito told Buzzing The Net in an e-mail.

The Spirit beat the Windsor Spitfires soundly on Saturday, with Paterson stopping 39-of-40 shots in a 4-1 road victory, Taking the long view, however, a franchise that has yet to play into May since moving to Michigan in 2002 also has an asset that will not be around when its younger cohort — centre Mitchell Stephens and eight first-year players — get up to speed.

The first week of October is too early to talk about trading partners. As it happens, the projected division favourites in the Western Conference, the Erie Otters and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, each have an open overage spot. Each also has strong goaltending in 19-year-old Devin Williams and 18-year-old New York Rangers second-round pick Brandon Halverson, respectively. (Both are Michigan natives, coincidentally enough.)

Two Eastern contenders, Oshawa Generals (with 19-year-old Ken Appleby), Peterborough Petes (Jason Da Silva, also 19), have started the season with a first-year starting goaltender.

There are teams with a need. Paterson, with two world junior tournaments and three OHL post-seasons to his credit, has a resume far beyond that of the typical veteran goalie.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.