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Soo Eagles
City Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States
League Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
DivisionNorth
Founded1962 (In the NOJHA)
Home arena Pullar Stadium
Colors Black, Yellow, and White
     
General managerBruno Bragagnolo
Head coachDoug LaPrade (2018)
Franchise history
NOJHL franchise
1962–2003 Espanola Eagles
2003–2006Northern Michigan Black Bears
2006–2007Soo Indians
2008–2012
2015–present		Soo Eagles
NAHL franchise
2005–2012 Traverse City North Stars
2012–2015Soo Eagles
2015–present New Jersey Junior Titans
Championships
Playoff championships2: 2007, 2011

The Soo Eagles are an American junior ice hockey team from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan that plays in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). In 2012, the Eagles bought the North American Hockey League franchise rights of the Traverse City North Stars and transferred to the NAHL. In 2015, the Eagles sold their franchise rights and rejoined the NOJHL.

History

Espanola Eagles era(s)

The Eagles were located in Espanola, a small industrial town in Northern Ontario, where they struggled to remain viable and competitive, passing into and out of existence in four different phases. From 1962 until 1971, Espanola played in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association, staying until a year before it folded. Espanola then joined the local NOHA Jr. B league, which would become the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, in 1979. The franchise went on hiatus after the 1988–89 season, returning in 1991. The team went on hiatus again from 1995–1998. Its only success came in 1963 when it won McNamara Trophy as NOHA champions. In their last season (2002–03), they won only five games the last of which was against the Sudbury Northern Wolves. At the end of that season, the Screaming Eagles were relocated to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Most players did not follow, and moved on to other teams.

Black Bears era

As the Northern Michigan Black Bears, the franchise celebrated some of its most successful hockey in years. After three winning seasons and a trip to the league finals in 2004–05, the ownership group decided to sell the financially unstable team.

Indians era

In late summer of 2006, New York land developer Charles Perdicaro bought and renamed the Black Bears the Soo Indians. Perdicaro hired Jim Capy to coach the Indians. The Indians are made up of players from all over the United States, including players from Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Illinois. Over the 2006 Christmas break, Perdicaro fired Capy and his staff due to "philosophical differences" and hired Kevin Cain to take over.

The Soo Indians went on to win the NOJHL's McNamara Trophy as 2007 playoff champions but were not successful at the Dudley Hewitt Cup.

In the spring of 2007, Perdicaro put the Indians up for sale. Perdicaro failed to find a buyer and were not able to ice a team for the 2007–08 season.

Eagles era

The Indians were sold in early 2008, and changed their name to the Soo Eagles. They began play in 2008–09.

Capping the 2010–11 season, the Soo Eagles finished with a 37-10-3 record, 2nd in the West Division behind the Soo Thunderbirds; 2nd overall in the NOJHL. Brian Depp, a native of Fenton, Michigan, led the Eagles in scoring with 73 points, tied for 3rd in the NOJHL.

The Eagles began the 2010–11 playoffs with a match-up against the Blind River Beavers. The Eagles disposed of the Beavers in five games, gliding to the West Division Final against their rivals, the Soo Thunderbirds. The Eagles upset the regular season champion Thunderbirds winning in six games in a hard fought series.

The Eagles faced off in a best-of-seven playoff series against the Sudbury Jr. Wolves for the 2010–11 NOJHL title. They won the title in six games. [1] This win put them into the Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship, where they finished third. [2]

On March 2, 2012, the Soo Eagles announced that they were leaving the NOJHL for the Tier II junior North American Hockey League. [3] The Eagles bought the franchise rights of the Traverse City North Stars to make the move possible.

On March 24, 2012, the Eagles played their final NOJHL game, a 4-2 loss to the Soo Thunderbirds in front of a hometown crowd in Pullar Stadium. The loss completed a 4-game sweep of the Eagles in their semifinal series with the Thunderbirds.

Following the 2014–15 season the Michigan Warriors were displaced by the Flint Firebirds of the higher class OHL. With the loss of Flint and previous departures of teams from Port Huron, Detroit (twice), Kalamazoo, Alpena, Traverse City and Marquette, the Soo Eagles became isolated and it was determined to be financially impossible to continue in the NAHL. With the NAHL adding more teams to the East, the Eagles ownership took the opportunity to sell their NAHL franchise to Middletown Township, New Jersey and join with the existing New Jersey Junior Titans organization (which had formerly fielded Tier III teams) and the Soo Eagles team was granted re-admission to the NOJHL.

Season-by-season results

Season GP W L T/OTL PTS GF GA PIM Result Playoffs
Espanola Eagles (NOJHL)
1978–79 40 5 35 0 10 N/A N/A N/A 6th did not qualify
1979–80 40 4 32 2 10 203 383 N/A 6th No playoffs
1980–81 40 15 20 5 35 222 282 N/A 4th No playoffs
1981–82 42 14 27 1 29 207 251 N/A 7th did not qualify
1982–83 42 21 19 2 44 234 250 N/A 4th did not qualify
1983–84 40 4 32 4 12 211 430 N/A 6th did not qualify
1984–85 40 8 28 4 20 221 377 N/A 6th did not qualify
1985–86 41 8 33 0 16 211 446 N/A 7th did not qualify
1986–87 37 4 31 2 10 169 316 N/A 4th did not qualify
1987–88 39 6 31 2 14 172 315 N/A 5th did not qualify
1988–89 40 25 10 5 55 274 202 N/A 3rd did not qualify
1989–91 Did not participate
1991–92 48 10 37 1 11 177 371 N/A 6th did not qualify
1992–93 48 11 37 0 22 163 345 N/A 6th did not qualify
1993–94 40 23 16 1 47 272 206 N/A 2nd Lost in Semifinals
1994–95 48 6 39 3 15 173 389 N/A 7th did not qualify
1995–98 did not participate
1998–99 40 8 30 2 18 150 281 N/A 6th did not qualify
Espanola Screaming Eagles (NOJHL)
1999–00 40 4 34 2 10 128 329 N/A 5th did not qualify
2000–01 40 8 29 3 19 99 200 N/A 6th did not qualify
2001–02 42 13 27 2 28 168 294 N/A 6th did not qualify
2002–03 48 5 43 0 10 140 404 N/A 7th did not qualify
Northern Michigan Black Bears (NOJHL)
2003–04 48 25 17 6 56 199 170 857 2nd, West Lost in Semifinals
2004–05 48 28 13 7 63 174 126 824 1st, West Lost in Final
2005–06 48 27 15 6 60 180 142 872 2nd, West Lost in Semifinal
Soo Indians (NOJHL)
2006–07 48 31 15 2 64 193 145 1,071 1st, West Champions
2007–08 did not participate
Soo Eagles (NOJHL)
2008–09 50 26 21 3 55 257 209 932 2nd, West Lost in Semifinal
2009–10 50 27 18 5 59 224 213 894 3rd, West Lost in Semifinal
2010–11 50 37 10 3 77 256 159 846 2nd, West Champions
2011–12 50 35 11 4 74 290 171 729 2nd, West Lost in Semifinal
Soo Eagles (NAHL)
2012–13 60 41 14 5 87 203 152 992 1st, North Won Div. Semifinal, 3–0 vs. Port Huron Fighting Falcons
Lost Div. Finals, 0–3 vs. Jamestown Ironmen
2013–14 60 25 27 8 58 149 187 970 6th of 6, North
18th of 24, NAHL 		did not qualify
2014–15 60 31 25 4 66 182 185 1248 3rd of 6, North
18th of 24, NAHL		 Won First round Series, 3–0 vs. Keystone Ice Miners
Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Janesville Jets
Soo Eagles (NOJHL)
2015–16 54 22 30 2 46 182 197 725 4th of 6, West
8th of 12, NOJHL 		Won Div. Play-in Series, 2–0 vs. Espanola Express
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
2016–17 56 27 26 3 57 222 204 770 4th of 6, West
8th of 12, NOJHL 		Won Div. Play-in Series, 2–1 vs. Elliot Lake Wildcats
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 vs. Blind River Beavers
2017–18 56 35 20 1 71 222 147 566 3rd of 6, West
5th of 12, NOJHL 		Lost Div. Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
2018–19 56 28 24 4 60 208 185 804 3rd of 6, West
8th of 12, NOJHL 		Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2019–20 56 30 21 5 65 185 171 673 4th of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL 		Won div. quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Espanola Express
Postseason cancelled
2020–21 - - - — - - - - Withdrew from season due to the COVID-19 pandemic [4]
2021–22 48 33 11 4 70 178 148 535 2nd of 6, West
4th of 12, NOJHL 		Won Div. Semifinals, 4-2 Greater Sudbury Cubs
Lost Div. Finals 0-4 Soo Thunderbirds
2022–23 58 26 27 5 57 206 212 808 5th of 6, West
8th of 12, NOJHL 		Did Not Qualify for Post Season
2023–24 48 33 22 3 69 231 202 832 2nd of 6, West
8th of 12, NOJHL 		Did Not Qualify for Post Season

References

  1. ^ "Soo Eagles hang on for NOJHL title". North Bay Nugget. April 13, 2011. p. B3. Retrieved July 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "It would be foolish for opponents to take Thunderbirds lightly". The Sault Star. April 17, 2012. p. B1. Retrieved July 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Soo Eagles leaving NOJHL loop to join North American Hockey League". The Sault Star. March 3, 2012. p. B2. Retrieved July 21, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "COVID-19 restrictions cause season cancellations by Espanola, French River, Rayside-Balfour". NOJHL. March 10, 2021.

External links

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