- Soo Eagles
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Soo Eagles 
City Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States League Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Division Western Founded 1998 (Current Franchise) Home arena Pullar Stadium Colors Black, Yellow, and White
General manager Bruno Bragagnolo Head coach Bruno Bragagnolo Franchise history 1962-2003 Espanola Eagles 2003-2006 Northern Michigan Black Bears 2006-2007 Soo Indians 2008-Present Soo Eagles The Soo Eagles are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Contents
History
Eagles era(s)
The Eagles existed four different times. From 1962 until 1971, Espanola joined the NOJHL as it was formed and stayed until a year before it folded due to lack of enough competition. They joined the local NOHA Junior "B" league. In 1972, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Sudbury Wolves walked away from the league to join the Ontario Hockey League. They reemerged in 1978 and stayed until 1988. They came back from 1991 until 1995. Their last stint in the league lasted from 1998 until 2003. Espanola, a very small Northern town, always struggled to keep the team viable and competitive. They were never an overly successful team, but they did win the 1963 McNamara Trophy as league champions. In their last season (2002–03), they won only 5 games the whole season. Their last win was against the Sudbury Northern Wolves. At the end of that season, the Screaming Eagles were bought and were relocated to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Most players did not follow, and moved on to other teams.
Black Bears era
As the Northern Michigan Black Bears, the franchise celebrated some of its most successful hockey in years. After 3 winning seasons and a trip to the league finals in 2004-05, the ownership group decided to sell the financially unstable team.
Indians era
In late summer of 2006, New York Land developer Charles Perdicaro bought and renamed the black bears the Soo Indians. Perdicaro hired Jim Capy to coach the Indians. The Indians are made up of players from all over the United States, including players from Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Illinois. Over Christmas break Perdicaro fired Capy and his staff due to "philosophical differences" and hired Kevin Cain to take over.
The Soo Indians went on to win the NOJHL's McNamara Trophy as 2007 playoff champions but were not successful at the Dudley Hewitt Cup.
In Spring 2007, Perdicaro put the Indians up for sale. Perdicaro failed to find a buyer and were not able to ice a team for the 2007-08 season.
Eagles era
The Indians were sold in early 2008, and changed their name to the Soo Eagles. They began play in 2008-09.
Capping the 2010-2011 season, the Soo Eagles finished with a 37-10-3 record, 2nd in the West Division behind the Soo Thunderbirds; 2nd overall in the NOJHL. Brian Depp, a native of Fenton, Michigan, led the Eagles in scoring with 73 points, tied for 3rd in the NOJHL.
The Eagles began the 2010-11 playoffs with a matchup against the Blind River Beavers. The Eagles disposed of the Beavers in 5 games, gliding to the West Division Final against their rivals, the Soo Thunderbirds. The Eagles upset the regular-season champion Soo Thunderbirds winning in 6 games in a hard fought series.
The Eagles will face off in a best-of-seven playoff series against the Sudbury Jr. Wolves for the 2010-11 NOJHL title. Winning the title will land them a spot in the Dudley Hewitt Cup later in the month. Eagles captain Aaron Leonard, the heart and soul of the Michigan Soo squad and speedster Brian Depp look to start attacking the Wolves in Game 1 on April, 2nd at 7:30 p.m. at Pullar Stadium.
Season-by-season results
Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs 1962-63 40 25 14 1 - 197 143 51 2nd NOJHL Won League 1963-64 40 25 14 1 - 216 157 51 3rd NOJHL Lost Semi-final 1964-65 40 22 17 1 - 185 195 45 3rd NOJHL Lost Semi-final 1965-66 40 21 19 0 - 227 221 42 4th NOJHL Lost Semi-final 1966-67 40 3 37 0 - 121 355 6 5th NOJHL DNQ 1967-68 40 9 30 1 - 139 226 19 5th NOJHL DNQ 1968-69 48 9 37 2 - 147 285 20 5th NOJHL DNQ 1969-70 48 16 30 2 - 215 265 34 4th NOJHL Lost Semi-final 1970-71 48 10 36 2 - 154 317 22 5th NOJHL DNQ 1971-78 NOHA Jr. B Standing Not Available 1978-79 40 5 35 0 - -- -- 10 6th NOJHL 1979-80 40 4 34 2 - 203 383 10 6th NOJHL 1980-81 40 15 20 5 - 222 282 35 4th NOJHL 1981-82 42 14 27 1 - 207 251 29 7th NOJHL 1982-83 42 21 19 2 - 234 250 44 4th NOJHL 1983-84 40 4 32 4 - 211 430 10 6th NOJHL 1984-85 40 8 28 4 - 221 377 20 6th NOJHL 1985-86 41 8 33 0 - 211 446 16 7th NOJHL 1986-87 37 4 31 2 - 169 316 10 4th NOJHL 1987-88 39 6 31 2 - 172 315 14 5th NOJHL 1988-91 Franchise on Hiatus 1991-92 48 10 37 1 - 177 371 21 6th NOJHL 1992-93 48 11 37 0 - 163 345 22 6th NOJHL 1993-94 40 23 16 1 - 272 206 47 2nd NOJHL 1994-95 48 6 39 3 - 173 389 15 7th NOJHL 1995-98 Franchise on Hiatus 1998-99 40 8 30 2 - 150 281 18 6th NOJHL 1999-00 40 4 34 2 - 128 329 10 5th NOJHL 2000-01 40 8 29 1 2 99 200 19 6th NOJHL 2001-02 42 13 27 0 2 168 294 28 6th NOJHL 2002-03 48 5 43 0 - 140 404 10 7th NOJHL 2003-04 48 25 17 5 1 199 170 56 5th NOJHL 2004-05 48 28 13 4 3 174 126 63 3rd NOJHL Lost Final 2005-06 48 27 15 3 3 180 142 60 4th NOJHL Lost Semi-final 2006-07 48 31 15 - 2 193 145 64 1st NOJHL Won League 2007-08 Did Not Participate 2008-09 50 26 21 - 3 257 209 55 4th NOJHL 2009-10 50 27 18 - 5 224 213 59 5th NOJHL Lost Semi-final 2010-11 50 37 10 - 3 256 159 77 2nd NOJHL Won League External links
Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Current Teams Abitibi Eskimos · Blind River Beavers · Kirkland Lake Blue Devils · North Bay Trappers · Soo Eagles · Soo Thunderbirds · Sudbury CubsFormer Teams History NOHA Junior A
SeasonsNOJHA1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68 · 1968–69 · 1969–70 · 1970–71 · 1971–72NOJHL1978–79 · 1979–80 · 1980–81 · 1981–82 · 1982–83 · 1983–84 · 1984–85 · 1985–86 · 1986–87 · 1987–88 · 1988–89 · 1989–90 · 1990–91 · 1991–92 · 1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–00 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11 · 2011–12Categories:- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League teams
- Ice hockey teams in Michigan
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