Chicago area product Lucas Caulfield is living and loving the hockey life up north in Sault Ste. Marie. The high scoring forward is a key component and team captain for the high flying Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Caulfied is third on the Eagles in scoring behind line mates Alex Povorozniouk and Cooper Fredericks. The trio is also among the top 10 scorers in the NOJHL for an Eagles team that has a record of 25-7-2 through 34 games of this ’24-25 NOJHL season.
A mature, respectful individual, the 2005 birth year forward relayed via recent edition of the Hockey North Show podcast that playing with Povorozniouk and Fredericks “makes it easy. We know each other from before and we have good chemistry.”
Caulfield, who is in his second season with the Eagles, can’t say enough about time honoured president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo, first year head coach Jeremy Rebek — and the organization in general.
“Bruno is such a great guy,” Caulfield began. “He does so much for the team including cooking for us. I can’t speak for other junior hockey organizations but I can’t imagine there is one that treats the players better than Bruno treats us. He spoils us and we love it.
“As for Jeremy as our head coach, he is awesome. He watches so much hockey. I think that’s all he does is watch hockey. The info he gathers and retains and passes on to our team is really something. I was at his house for supper and he and I and his wife (Ali), all we did was talk about hockey,” Caulfield continued.
As for the aforementioned Bragagnolo, who has been with the Eagles for 15 years, the old school GM who has changed with the times has much good to say about Caulfield.
“Lucas has brought a lot to our team’s success this year,” Bragagnolo relayed. “He is a great captain and very conscientious of everything off and on the ice. On the ice he has been very good and Is one of our main contributors at both ends of the ice. He is a very mature individual who has earned the respect of the players and the staff.”
Caulfield, who still has a season of junior hockey eligibility remaining after this one, gives the indication that he would like to return to the Eagles in ’25-26, adding that it is something he will discuss with his agent, Bryan Pearse of Rising Athletes Advisory. The 39-year old Pearse, who played in the NOJHL for the Blind River Beavers, Soo Thunderbirds and Northern Michigan Black Bears, is a Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native who now resides in Windsor.
“Time goes by fast and right now I am enjoying every minute as a member of the Soo Eagles,” Caulfield noted. “We have a really good team this season and we can be really good again next season.”
As for being captain of the Eagles, Caulfield said “it means a lot to me. I try to be a good example to my teammates and to everyone on the Eagles.”
Caulfield added that the Eagles are a close knit group and said there are younger players on the team who are part of the culture and who have the ability to be major contributors in seasons ahead. For example, there is rookie forward Coulson Bell, a Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario product who has a 2007 birth date.
“You can see the improvement in a younger guy like Coulson,” said Caulfield. “He is a good guy who works hard and is getting better all the time. It takes time to get used to a good junior league like the NOJHL. It took me all of last year and I am two years older than a kid like Coulson.”
Randy Russon’s media career began in October, 1975 at CKCY Radio in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He joined Sault This Week in February, 1982 and has been its primary sportswriter ever since. Besides writing for Sault This Week and Hockey News North, Russon hosts the weekly Hockey North Show on ESPN 1400 Radio.
- Caulfield Flies with Eagles - January 16, 2025
- NOJHL Changes Playoff Format - July 4, 2024
- Jeremy Rebek takes the helm as new head coach of NOJHL’s Soo Eagles - May 14, 2024
