This past weekend I had the pleasure of once again attending camp with the Soo Eagles and their staff. Needless to say, as always it was a great experience.
The Eagles spend a great deal of scouting throughout the season. Tom Farnquist, Paul Andary, and John Waisanen cover the mid western United States and Canada. Many long weekends on the road scouting Midget and Tier III hockey always pays off for the Eagles and Coach Bragagnolo in the following season.
The 2013-2014 season, should prove no different if this first pre draft camp is any indication.
Roughly 140 players attended the pre draft camp this weekend in the Soo. Skill, speed, and more skill were on display throughout the entire weekend. Depth is the best way to describe the talent level displayed.
When speaking with Coach Bragagnolo at the final of three all star games, and he had this to day;
“There are easily twenty four players in this game that cold play in the NAHL for some team. I am very happy with all of the players that came in. Even the ones that didnt make the all star games were very good players and they will find a place to play somewhere next year.”
When speaking with Gerry Fraser one of the Soo Eagles Owners, he had some great observations;
“When you get such a good group of players, who ar also good people it is so hard to send some home. You wish you had a spot for so many more of them. You meet the parents and the players, and in the end you have to send most of them on to another place. I dont think people realise just how hard making player decisions can be sometimes. This weekend is just another one of those hard decision making times.”
Scouts were there from the OHL and NCAA ranks as well. Many players who were largely unknown before this weekend definitely caught the eyes of some scouts in attendance.
All in all, the Eagles have once again shown that they are an organization that players from all over North America and Europe want to play for. Its no wonder why they will once again likely challenge for a Robertson Cup Championship in 2013-2014.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
