80th season underway for historic Innisfail Eagles franchise

The alumni list, from the ice to the bench, is an esteemed one, and includes the likes of Brian Sutter, Peter Vandermeer, Kevin Smyth, Darryl Laplante, and Mike Brodeur, to name a few.

In fact, Dan and Joe Vandermeer (brothers to Peter) are still on the roster at 48- and 49-years-old, respectively.

While the milestone nature of the season won’t necessarily be front of mind for the players, who just want to perform well and make a lengthy run, Head Coach and GM Ryan Dodd says the season will certainly be a fun one for the fans.

“Look at a player like Riley Simpson… that’s a third-generation Innisfail Eagle, and his family’s been around for a lot of the team’s history. But the anniversary is more about the experience fans are going to have. Who better to celebrate than the people who’ve really kept the team going for 80 years,” said Dodd.

Dodd, who, like Simpson, is from Innisfail, has coached the team for several years and was a forward on the ice for the Eagles from 1998 to 2006.

“The game used to be a lot different. Sometimes, it was about who could survive. It was a lot more physical,” he continued.

“When I was a rookie, just 21-years-old, I was going out there and playing against men who were scary. I even had linemates that scared me.”

Dodd shared that one of those memorable teammates was Al Sim, who played his final season with Innisfail when Dodd was in his first.

Having seen the evolution over many years, Dodd said the game has certainly changed, and is much more about skill, just like it is in the pros.

And if you’re buying a ticket hoping to see a fight, you better cross all your fingers and toes, because it just doesn’t happen very often, he said.

“The players are unbelievably talented, and not that the players of the olden days weren’t… they were definitely no slouches. But today, the speed and the talent with the puck, the way goaltenders can move and make saves… I’ve been here for 30 years now and seen a lot of the development of the game, and it’s been a really cool experience.”

The Eagles have begun their 2026/27 season, losing 4-1 on the road in Lacombe on Oct. 3.

The club has a very special night lined up for their home opener, slated for Oct. 17 at the Innisfail Twin Arena. Several alumni will be in attendance, and there will be plenty of giveaways.

In addition, the club has put together an interactive webpage where you can venture through the team’s history.

by Josh Hall

80th season underway for historic Innisfail Eagles franchise

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