Soo Indians sign local lad
Soo Indians of the Under 18 Tier 1 Elite level of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association have signed a rookie skater with ties to both sides of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie ahead of the ’26-27 season. He is Andrew Aikens, a 6 foot 2, 190 pound defenseman with a 2009 birth date.
Aikens, who is from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, crossed the St. Mary’s River to play in the Great North Hockey League the past two seasons, first with the Under 16 level Soo Jr. Greyhounds and then with the U18 Jr. Hounds.
In 40 Great North league games in ’25-26, Aikens produced five goals, 17 assists, 22 points from his blue line position. Not only is Aikens a good player, but the fact that he is a local product with ties to hockey in the Twin Sault area is a boost for the new look AAA U18 Indians program.
NEW OWNER/OPERATOR
To be sure, the AAA U18 Indians are already at work ahead of the ’26-27 hockey season.
With a fresh, new operator in local businessman Dennis Eby — who will also be the general manager — the Indians have also brought aboard the venerable Doug Laprade as their head coach.
The Indians are part of the U18 Tier 1 MAHA with other AAA Michigan based programs such as — alphabetically — Belle Tire, Biggby Coffee, Compuware, Fox Motors, HoneyBaked, Little Caesars, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies and Victory Honda.
The aforementioned Eby, who earlier this off season took over operational control of the long standing Soo Indians U18 program, noted that the team’s home facilities at Big Bear Arena include two skate sharpeners, an 85 inch television for game review and a huge work out facility.
Notably, players who sign with the Indians for the ’26-27 season for a well in line team fee of $10,000, receive a return that includes three practices per week, additional skill sessions, hockey bag and equipment, warm up suit, winter jacket — and road trip travel that includes food and hotel.
“We are in one of the best leagues in the United States, the MAHA Tier 1 Elite League and besides league games, we will do two showcases — one in Detroit and one in Chicago. Our locker room is custom, we have North American Hockey League scouts on board and our players can affiliate with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League,” noted Eby in a message to Hockey News North.
COACH DOUG LAPRADE
Meanwhile, the Indians will be led by a long time head coach in the aforementioned Doug Laprade, who Eby noted brings “an impressive wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to this exciting new chapter of Soo Indians hockey.”
To be sure, Laprade has a long association to hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He played four full seasons for the Lake Superior State University Lakers, a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association program. He later was an assistant coach with the Lakers for five seasons and also coached the Sault High Blue Devils for seven years and the Soo Eagles of the NOJHL for five more.
A product of Thunder Bay, Ontario, the 57 year old Laprade has resided in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan since he first arrived on scholarship to play Division 1 hockey at Lake Superior State in 1987.
As a hard driven, two way right winger, Laprade was part of the Lakers national championship team of 1988 under mercurial head coach Frank Anzalone. Laprade also became a National Hockey League draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.
In 1992, as a volunteer assistant coach, Laprade was part of another national championship team at Lake Superior State under esteemed bench boss Jeff Jackson, who went on to become the legendary head coach of the NCAA powerhouse Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Laprade had a later, three year stint at Lake Superior State as an assistant coach under former head coach Jim Roque.
Known throughout the game for being an honest, upfront individual and a person of integrity who has kept up with the times, Laprade’s other credentials besides his extensive coaching resume include being a Level 4 instructor for various USA Hockey coaching clinics.
Laprade’s staff of assistant coaches with the Indians will include John Ferroni and Joe Esson.
feature photo of newly signed defenseman Andrew Aikens with Soo Indians general manager Dennis Eby
