Maple Ridge's Sonne brothers, Brennan and Brett, both have impressive promotions as hockey coaches for the upcoming season.
Brennan, 37, has been announced as as an assistant with the American Hockey League's Coachella Valley Firebirds – the California-based farm team for the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
His brother Brett, 35, was recently announced as a new assistant coach with the Coquitlam Express of the BC Hockey League
“Brennan is a great addition to our coaching staff. He’s an up-and-coming coach who has a proven track record in the WHL of building relationships and developing players,” said his new AHL head coach Derek Laxdal. “We’re excited to have him join myself, Stu Bickel and the rest of our great staff as we get started in the Coachella Valley.”
Brennan turned heads for his work with the Saskatoon Blades, where he coached of a team with a WHL-best 105-point (50-13-5) record in 2023-24. He was named a finalist for the WHL Coach of the Year for the second straight season, after winning the award in 2022-23.
“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity, and my wife, daughter, and I are thrilled to be joining the Coachella Valley community,” said Brennan. “I intend on working tirelessly towards assisting the rest of the staff, developing future Kraken, and continuing the already winning tradition of the Firebirds franchise.”
Behind the bench with the Blades for the last three seasons, Brennan compiled a record of 136-54-14, and had three WHL playoff runs and two Eastern Conference Final appearances. He coached six seasons in the WHL between Saskatoon and the Everett Silvertips, where he was an assistant coach from 2014-15 to 2016-17. His career includes four seasons (2017-21) as the head coach of the Ducs d’Angers in the top league in France.
As a player, Brennan spent three seasons in the WHL with the Silvertips, Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings. His best season statistically was nine points in 55 games with Everett, when he also put up 116 penalty minutes. He also played three seasons for UBC.
The Coquitlam Express announced Brett as a new assistant, hiring him away from his hometown Ridge Meadows Flames.
Brett had an impressive playing career that saw him drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He enjoyed a successful junior career with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL. His best season was 48 goals and 100 points in 62 games. Sonne’s playing career included four seasons in the AHL with the Peoria Rivermen. Then he saw much of Europe from 2013 to 2018 as he played with teams in Austria, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, France and Slovakia.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brett Sonne to the Coquitlam Express family," said Express GM Tali Campbell. "His experience as a player and coach, combined with his leadership qualities, make him a perfect fit for our team. We are confident that Brett will have a significant impact on our players’ development and contribute to our success on and off the ice, working with [head coach] Jeff Wagner and [assistant coach] Kyle Johnson!”
“I am honoured to join the Coquitlam Express and work alongside Tali, Jeff and the rest of the coaching staff," said Brett. "This team has a strong foundation and a bright future. I look forward to helping our players reach their full potential and achieve our goals this season.”
