A salute to the Soo Eagles

They lost their first nine games of the ’25-26 regular season and recovered enough to finish in seventh place among the 11 teams of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League — and earn one of eight playoff spots. But the Soo Eagles were far from done.

Following the regular season slate that got them into the seventh spot and just below the .500 mark with a record of 23-26-3, the Eagles had the daunting task of facing the second place Powassan Voodoos in the first round of the playoffs. Powassan had finishing a whopping 26 points ahead of the Eagles during the regular season and as such, the Voodoos were clear cut favourites to take the best of seven series.

The Eagles, however, had other ideas. After winning the first two games of the series in stunning style right in Powassan, the Eagles returned home to Pullar Stadium and completed a sweep of the Voodoos with a pair of overtime victories.

One of the biggest upsets in recent NOJHL playoff history put the Eagles into the second round of the playoffs against the no. 1 seed — and two time reigning champion — Sudbury Cubs. And while Sudbury took the second round series in four straight, the Eagles pushed the Cubs right to the end before finally losing Game 4 in overtime.

Veteran Eagles president, general manager, athletic trainer and chief cook and bottle washer Bruno Bragagnolo was full of praise for his team’s players and coaches as the season came to a close.

“We are pretty proud of this group,” Bragagnolo relayed to Hockey News North. “After starting the season 0-9 to come back and make it to the final four was not an easy feat as this is a league that is very competitive.

“I give a lot of credit to the coaching staff (led by Jeremy Rebek) that never panicked and for getting the team on track. The players stayed with the program and slowly but steadily improved and were a pretty tough team to play against come the playoffs. The Sudbury Cubs are a very talented and well coached team and even though they swept us I thought we played well against them,” summed up Bragagnolo.

A host of players averaged at least a point per game for the Eagles through their eight game playoff run.

Logan Stawizynski topped all Eagles players during the post season with seven goals, seven assists, 14 points. Up next were Anden Marceau with four goals, seven assists, 11 points, defenseman Micah Seery with 1-8-9 totals and Lucas Caulfield, Nolan Nemecek and Jacob Peterson, who all posted 4-4-8 numbers.

Meantime, a pair of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario products had productive playoffs for the Michigan based Eagles. Hustling forward Coulson Bell had two goals, two assists, four points. And defenseman Colton Huckson had five assists, three of which came on the power play.

To be sure, as one of the better run junior A hockey programs in the region and as the only American based team in the NOJHL, the Eagles have — over 15 years with the aforementioned Bruno Bragagnolo at the helm — stood a good test of time as a jewel of a small market franchise.

above photo by Justin Cairns of Soo Eagles coach Jeremy Rebek shaking hands with members of the Sudbury Cubs at the conclusion of their second round playoff series