Sonne Hired By Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL
Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatoon Blades will have a new head coach for the 2024-25 season as Brennan Sonne has accepted an Assistant Coach position with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL). Coachella is the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.
“It’s always bittersweet to lose a fantastic coach but we couldn’t be happier for Brennan and his family getting the opportunity to coach in the American Hockey League after three fantastic years with us,” said Blades general manager Colin Priestner. “He will go down as one of the best coaches in Blades history with all he accomplished here but also the impact he leaves on our culture, staff, and our players will continue to pay dividends in the coming years.”
The 37-year-old from Maple Ridge, BC got his first WHL head coaching position with the Blades in July 2021. Saskatoon went 131-54-14 under Sonne’s guidance throughout three seasons, resulting in a .701 winning percentage. The former Everett Silvertips player and assistant coach guided the Blades to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.
Sonne’s playoff record with the Blades is 20-16, including four series wins and the historic reverse sweep over Red Deer in 2023. Sonne also led the Blades to the franchise’s fifth Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s top regular season team in 2023-24.
“My time in Saskatoon is something I am very proud of, we accomplished a lot, won a lot of games, but most importantly we put some incredible human beings into the world,” said Sonne on his time with the Blades. “I’d like to first thank the Priestner family for giving me the opportunity. I would also like to thank Steve “Hilty” Hildebrand, Dan Tencer, and all the great hockey operations staff we had.”
Sonne’s unique style combined with his success on the ice endeared him to fans in Saskatoon, something he was especially grateful for.
“Lastly, I would like to thank the fans. There have been some amazing nights standing behind that bench. I wish the Blades nothing but success and will be cheering for them,” added Sonne.
“I truly believe he will be coaching in the NHL one day soon and the Seattle Kraken organization is very excited to have the opportunity to work with him on his journey,” said Priestner. “The Blades are grateful for Brennan’s time in Saskatoon and wish him all the best in his new role with Coachella Valley.”
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