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NAHL’s Soo Eagles moving to New Jersey

MiHockey Staff

soo_eagles_colorBy @MichaelCaples –

The North American Hockey League announced today that the Soo Eagles are moving to New Jersey next season.

The team will now be called the New Jersey Junior Titans and play in the Middletown Ice World Arena.

“We have seen our footprint in the North Division slowly migrate to other areas that became increasingly further from Sault Ste. Marie are and were left with no opponents within a reasonable traveling distance to the upper peninsula of Michigan,” said Ron Lavin, principal owner and governor of the Eagles, in a release. “As a result, the NAHL recently opened up a discussion with us about a new opportunity that existed in New Jersey that is going to be a part of new growth of the league in the east. While the past two months have been filled with many details, emotions and recent league approvals surrounding a decision like this, it reflects the current footprint that has evolved in the North Division.

“Everyone in the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has been tremendous to our organization and are grateful for their support.  We have the best volunteers and community support and it is our mission to continue to have a junior team with local ownership under the Soo Eagles name in a different Canadian junior league. The Titans have a great history and new arena and sports complex to go with it. Their youth organization in the NAPHL and Tier III junior players will make a great compliment to our organization. Bringing the NAHL to New Jersey will introduce players and fans to a whole new experience and level of hockey.”

The move may mean that the NAHL will no longer have a team in Michigan, after a MLive report indicated that the Michigan Warriors – now without a home after the Flint Firebirds moved into Perani Arena – will be sold and moved to the East Coast.

“Since their arrival in the NAHL, the Soo Eagles organization has done a wonderful job on and off the ice and has a great track record of developing players for the next level, and that is something that we expect to continue in New Jersey,” said NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld in the release. “Middletown will be inheriting a very successful franchise with solid and committed ownership. We feel this move to the east was a necessary one and a reflection of the current changing landscape of the NAHL and it provides the team with the best option to be successful moving forward. We are confident that with the commitment of the ownership, the quality of the coaching and the state-of-the-art venue will allow the team every opportunity for success.”