Eagles can depend on Jake Palmerio
He’s the only Canadian on an otherwise all-American roster and Jake Palmerio has been finding the back of the net with more regularity for the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Palmerio, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound, 1997 birth-year forward, has scored five goals in his last seven games for the surging Eagles, who have a 6-1 record over that span to improve to 18-20-1 on the season.
Known for his speed as well as his work ethic, Palmerio’s scoring spree of late has boosted his goal production to 10 in 33 games with the Eagles thus far this season.
But it’s Palmerio’s overall game that has earned him words of praise from the man who signed him to play for the Eagles this season, general manager Bruno Bragagnolo.
Bragagnolo, who also works in tandem with co-coach Jim Capy and assistant Joe Behling back of the Eagles bench, did not hesitate when asked about Palmerio’s contributions to the Michigan Soo squad.
“He is someone who we can count on to work hard and do his job every single shift,” Bragagnolo said in praise of Palmerio. “He skates well, he works hard, he goes into the corners and he doesn’t back down.
“Jake has been a very dependable player for us,” Bragagnolo summed up. “As a coach, you never worry about Jake showing up to play.”
While Palmerio has always had a decent scoring touch, it’s his ability to play as a shutdown forward that is especially impressive.
And during his minor midget days in the Canadian Soo and at the major midget level in Sudbury, Palmerio stood out as a top penalty killer, a skill that he brought to the Batchewana Attack and coach Denny Lambert of the now-defunct Canadian International Hockey League last season.
With two seasons of junior eligibility still remaining after this one, Palmerio has aspirations of playing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association level.
In fact, a Division 3, NCAA scout who was in attendance at Pullar Stadium for the Eagles 2-1 upset victory over the NOJHL-leading Soo Thunderbirds on Saturday, took note of Palmerio and had plenty good to say about the skill level and work ethic of the hard-toiling youngster.
PHOTO: Jake Palmerio is the only Canadian on the roster of the Michigan-based Soo Eagles. (Photo by Ali Pearson.)
I have said it before & I will say it again…that Palmerio kid is one of the best products to come out of the Sault in the 1997 age group. Many others have gone away & done OK, but Palmerio has always stood out as one of the top kids in his age bracket, and will continue to do so. Watch for him in the next few years..He is going places !