Assisting the Soo Eagles
They were born an hour apart on January 22, 1986. They have been friends since their youthful minor hockey days in Sault Ste. Marie. And Kelsey Wilson and Donnie Bruni are now together again as first year assistant coaches with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
A hard nosed and skilled forward during his playing days, Wilson’s journey through the game took the 6 foot 1, 210 pound winger to three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting and Guelph Storm, five years just a step away from the National Hockey League in the American Hockey League, followed by excursions to play at the overseas pro level in both the United Kingdom and Austria.
Bruni, meanwhile, moved up the hockey ranks to become a championship goalie at the high school level in Sault Ste. Marie before advancing to the Blind River Beavers of the NOJHL and the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. He then stepped away from competitive hockey to study sports administration in university.
With a friendship bond that would not be broken despite being separated for years by miles, countries and continents, the two friends are now thoroughly enjoying their experience as volunteer assistants with the NOJHL Eagles under long-time president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo and first year head coach Jeremy Rebek.
“I can’t think of a single bad word to say about Bruno and the Soo Eagles,” said Wilson, while guesting on a recent edition of the Hockey North Show podcast. “The Eagles are a first class organization and Bruno as the boss knows how to treat everyone from players to staff to everyone who helps out. This has been a really good hockey experience so far.”
Wilson, who is employed by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, said he got involved with the Eagles this season by invitation from aforementioned head coach Jeremy Rebek.
“Rebs and I go back a long way from when we were playing pro hockey over in Austria,” Wilson relayed. “Rebs is a great guy with a brilliant hockey mind.”
Wilson, whose prior coaching experience goes back to several years ago when he helped out former head coach Jordan Smith and the NOJHL’s Soo Thunderbirds and in the female hockey ranks with Jeremy Stevenson and the Sault Wildcats, added that he is not only “very impressed” with the Eagles as an organization but the NOJHL as a league.
“And then there is Pullar Stadium (which is the home of the Michigan based Eagles) and the great fans and supporters that we have,” said Wilson. “I can’t say enough about the Pullar and the Soo Eagles. Like I said to you before, I can’t think of a bad thing to say about Bruno Bragagnolo and the Soo Eagles.”
As for Wilson’s fellow first year assistant coach and good friend, the aforementioned Donnie Bruni, he is helping to tutor the Eagles goalies in addition to generally lending a hand in the hockey operations department. Bruni, too, spoke in glowing terms of the Eagles and how they do business on and off the ice.
“First of all, Bruno (Bragagnolo) is, like you said, a great guy and an amazing junior hockey operator who does everything from being the GM to helping out with the coaches to running the concession stand at the Pullar to making food for the guys on road trips,” said Bruni. “I am loving this experience with the Eagles and how they operate this franchise.”
Bruni is back home in Sault Ste. Marie and working for MicroAge Computer Centres after being involved in sales and marketing with not only the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League but the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
“It feels so good to be home and involved in junior hockey with the Soo Eagles,” said Bruni. “I have a lifetime of memories with the Winnipeg Jets, the Argos and the Tiger-Cats but this is where I want to be.”
While assisting the Eagles as a coach, Bruni said he would also like to help out in the marketing and promotion areas.
“We get great crowds at the Pullar … we are one of the best draws in the league but it would cool to see even bigger crowds at the Pullar and get some more sponsors on board,” Bruni added.
Bruni also talked about coming full circle to former goalie and now assistant coach in the NOJHL.
“I will never forget being a goalie for the Blind River Beavers,” Bruni relayed. “I was moving up from high school hockey in the Sault and back then everyone wanted to play in Blind River for (head coach) Jim Capy. It was an unbelievable experience that I had playing in Blind River.”
Kelsey Wilson and Donnie Bruni. Two committed assistant coaches. Two good friends. Both on board with the Soo Eagles. And absolutely loving it. Just ask them.