Season Preview: 2024-2025
September 20, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Austin Bruins News Release
Austin, Minn.- The Austin Bruins will drop the puck on the 2024-25 regular season this Saturday, September 21st on the road against the North Iowa Bulls. The upcoming season marks the organization's 15th in its storied history.
LAST SEASON
The Bruins entered last season with high expectations after making it all the way to the Robertson Cup finals in 2022-23. Keeping the momentum from the prior season's playoff push, the Black and Gold cruised through the North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase leaving Blaine with a 4-1 record, including a 3-2 revenge victory over the Robertson Cup champion Oklahoma Warriors. After finishing October with only four losses on the season, the Bruins went on to record a combined 7-9 mark through November and December, finishing the first half of the season with a 17-13 record overall. The team would end up securing the last Central Division playoff spot edging divisional rival St. Cloud by just one point and earning the fourth seed. However, the path to the Cup would end before it began as the Central Division regular season champion Minot Minotauros swept the Bruins in three games.
NEW SEASON, NEW TEAM
The 2024-25 Bruins will have an entirely new look this season. Eight of the team's top ten scorers last year won't be returning including the top three point getters in Austin Salani (32-38-70), Dylan Cook (15-28-53) and Ocean Wallace (21-23-44).
Only five skaters who touched the ice for the Bruins last year are back for the 15th Anniversary Season. Forward Alex Laurenza (15-27-42) returns for his second year as the highest scoring veteran, with Jackson Rilei and Connor Beckwith joining him as returning forwards. Nathan Williams and Eli Brown are also back after having played 43 and 24 games a year ago, respectively. The opening day roster for the 2024-25 season will consist of 19 rookies.
Steve Howard returns for his eighth season behind the bench for the Bruins with Al Rooney resuming his role by Howard's side. Rooney was promoted to Associate Head Coach this offseason after rejoining the Bruins last year. Robby Murray joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach. Murray spent the majority of his time as a player with the Nashville Jr. Predators where he played 63 games as a defenseman across two seasons.
COMMITMENTS
On September 3rd, the NAHL announced that for the first time in the league's 50 year history, it had reached 400 NCAA commits. Currently there are four Bruins players committed to play college hockey including Laurenza (Union College), Williams (Lake Superior State), Will Distad (Minnesota State-Mankato), and Cole Ward (Northern Michigan). Last season saw six Bruins make commitments including Laurenza, Williams, Dylan Cook (University of Massachussets-Lowell), Connor Brust (UW-River Falls), John Hirschfeld (University of Vermont), Trip Pendy (Brown University), Austin Salani (Dartmouth College), Ocean Wallace (St. Cloud State), Ryan Hintz (UW-Stevens Point), Kaden Muir (Mercyhurst), Trent Wiemken (Bemidji State) and Will Diamond (Northern Michigan).
TAMING THE BULLS
The Black and Gold have a short trip down the road to Mason City to face intradivisional rival North Iowa on Saturday. The Bulls finished last in the Central Division last season, holding just an 11-47-0-2 which was good for only 24 points. The Bruins took eleven of the 13 meetings against North Iowa, including nine of the last ten between December and March.
HOW TO WATCH
Puck drop for Saturday's season opener is scheduled for 6:30 pm central time in Mason City. Fans can watch the game, along with every Bruins game all season long, on NAHLTV with David Koier, who enters his first season as the Bruins Broadcaster, providing play-by-play commentary.
• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...
North American Hockey League Stories from September 20, 2024
- Down Goes Danbury - Maryland Black Bears
- Hat Tricks Fall Short in Overtime Loss to Black Bears - Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks
- New Jersey Falters in Third, Loses 4-3 - New Jersey Titans
- Deeb Scores Late to Lift Bugs Over Rhinos in Series Opener - Shreveport Mudbugs
- Anchorage Wolverines Fall in Game One - Anchorage Wolverines
- New Mexico Ice Wolves Name First Captains for 2024-2025 Season - New Mexico Ice Wolves
- Game Day: Anchorage Wolverines vs. Springfield Jr. Blues - Anchorage Wolverines
- Season Preview: 2024-2025 - Austin Bruins
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
