Soo Eagles are about opportunity
It’s part of a never-ending search to try to improve the hockey team.
And at the same time, it allows the staff the opportunity to evaluate a player up close.
Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League are known for bringing in select players from lower-level programs over the course of the season. The usual process involves bringing in a player for a week of practice to see how he measures up with those already on the Eagles roster.
After three days of practice, if the Eagles like the player in question, they can either sign him for the rest of the season, tender him for the following campaign or put him on their list of prospects for the annual NAHL draft.
“It gives us the opportunity to take a really close look at a player and have our staff evaluate him,” said Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo. “And it also gives the player in question the opportunity to practice with us and see how he fits in at this level.”
One such player who will head to the Soo to skate and practice with the Eagles before the end of the month is Jacob Hernandez, a 1995 birth-year forward with the Detroit Fighting Irish of the Midwest Jr. Hockey League.
In just 23 games with Detroit thus far this 2014-2015 MWJHL season, the 6-foot-2, 215 pound Hernandez has 19 goals, 12 assists, 31 points — and has racked up 104 penalty minutes.
“You know never know when you are going to find a diamond-in-the-rough,” reasoned Tom Farnquist, the reputable chief scout of the NAHL Eagles.
This is AWWSOME News! Good for you Jake!
Good Luck to you #15 !!! Give em hell up there !!! Very happy for you young man. Show them what you got and do the Irish proud !!!
This kid can play. IMHO.
Good for the Soo to give the kid this oportunity.
I know Bruno and Tommy well and they are both of them Class Acts.
He’s not even that good! Kids are only afraid of him because he jumps people.
Randy ….. You have got ta be kidding now. The Blaze have 7 – 8 Players better than this guy.
hockeyfan3335 and Decatur Blaze Fan,
You should both be ashamed for trying to discredit a teenaged player who has been invited to skate with a higher-level junior team. Jealousy is an awful trait to have. Just my opinion.
Yes it’s not the nicest thing. All said in done if he makes it congratulations. I just hope past history doesn’t affect it in the future with parents starting stuff. Last year’s playoffs an altercation started in the stands with the result of cops being involved due to his family and fans not getting along. As well has his dad running on the ice this year against the Soo. All the power too him, he is getting more of an opportunity than others and I hope that nothing gets in the way
As a soo fan who goes to mwjhl and nahl games i could not stand hernandez.But the thought of seeing him on our bench…well………he cant get here fast enough……..let the fists fly hernandez!!!!!!!!!
So really their calling up a goon ? Lol nothing wrong with that good luck to the kid hope he does well .
I have seen Hernandes play against the Firehawks a bunch a times over the last 2 years and I do see him as some one that can play in the NA. He is one of those players “love him if hes on your team hate him if he aint” – so it will be interesting to hear what the Eagles think of him. Good reporting RR for giving us this storey.
Goon??? Come on now “fans” just because Jake is a good fighter that does not mean that he is a Goon. He is one of the leading scorers in the entire League.
Hernandez can score yes and he is skilled yes …………… but he is also a GOON. If he plays up North he will be a terror I have no doubt. I think he is better when he just sticks to hockey. I think Vasquez likes it when the kid acts up and puts on a Show …………… Vasquez was probably a GOON him self when he played LOL.
Speaking of the Fighting Irish …………… I hear that them and the Monarchs may join the USPHL league next season.
No USPHL for them or anyone in the Midwest for the upcoming season! Heard that they denied all applications from the MnJHL as well. Maybe next year!
What too many of these posters fail to realize is that fighting in the NAHL is almost non-existant these days. Lets says he sticks, gets in a fight, he’s gonna sit, gets in another, he’s gonna sit longer, he then becomes a liability, taking up roster space. So, whats the point. Now, if he can score at the NAHL level and use his size to create space in front of the net, well great. The junior game has changed dramatically over the last decade. Before the next one is out, fighting will be no longer tolerated in the junior level, including the CHL, its probably headed for the NHL as well. It’s coming, like it or not, and I think Randy knows that too.