Soo Indians call it quits

It is all over — at least for this season — for the AAA Under 18 level Soo Indians of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association. The Indians were part of MAHA’s Tier 1 Elite Hockey League with eight other teams from Metro Detroit and the surrounding area.

The Indians, who began the ’26-27 season with a full roster of players, had been operating with a depleted lineup as of late. They were in last place in the standings when the team ceased operations earlier this week.

Remaining players on the Indians roster have been given their release and are free to pursue other opportunities.

Former Ontario Hockey League and National Hockey League left winger Ken Belanger — a Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario product — was in his second season as the head coach of the Indians. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan resident Jason Blain was Belanger’s assistant.

Belanger — who returned to the Indians late in the recruiting process after Doug Laprade was slated to be the head coach this season only to step away — explained the decision made by team management to take a leave of absence for the balance of the ’26-27 season.

“We just couldn’t fuel with our numbers,” Belanger relayed to Hockey News North. “I am proud of the work ethic and team dynamics. Perhaps taking over at the time I did I was hopeful but with injuries and other reasons, players returning to high school, we just didn’t have enough.

“We tried but also understand the dynamics of competing with enough players. We all wanted this to work. We had a fantastic group. But after much thought with (team operator) Bruno (Bragagnolo), assistant coach Jason Blaine and other staff we understood that we just didn’t have the numbers this season,” added Belanger, in summation.

A long standing AAA U18 program that was founded in 1990, the Indians were the only remaining team of its level in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

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Randy Russon, Contributor

Hockey News North strives to serve as an insightful look into amateur hockey at the minor, junior and college levels. Seasoned Sault Ste. Marie sportswriter Randy Russon is a featured columnist for Hockey News North.

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.

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