Brennan Sonne joins Coachella Valley Firebirds as new assistant coach
The Coachella Valley Firebirds officially have their new assistant coach.
Brennan Sonne was named assistant coach for the Firebirds on Monday, joining newly-named head coach Derek Laxdal.
“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity, and my wife, daughter, and I are thrilled to be joining the Coachella Valley community,” said Sonne. “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.”
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Sonne, 37, joins the Firebirds following a successful three-season stint as the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his time in Saskatoon, he amassed a 136-54-14 record, including three consecutive WHL playoff runs and two Eastern Conference Final appearances.
Last season, Sonne helped lead the Blades to a 105-point (50-13-5) record, earning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, awarded to the WHL team with the best regular-season record. Sonne was named the 2023-24 East Division finalist for the WHL Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year after winning the award in 2022-23.
“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 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.”
He spent six seasons in the WHL between Saskatoon and the Everett Silvertips, where he was an assistant coach from 2014-15 to 2016-17.
Sonne’s coaching career also includes four seasons as the head coach of the Ducs d’Angers in the Syberglace Ligue Magnus, the top hockey league in France.
Internationally, the Maple Ridge, British Columbia, native was an assistant coach for Canada’s White U17 World Hockey Challenge roster, winning a gold medal with the team in 2024.
Prior to his coaching career, Sonne played in 149 WHL games between the Everett Silvertips (2005-05 to 2007-8), Red Deer Rebels (2007-08) and Edmonton Oil Kings (2007-08) and appeared in 65 collegiate hockey games with the University of British Columbia (2008-09 and 2010-11). In total, he played eight seasons in several leagues including the British Columbia Hockey League, WHL, USports and the South China Ice Hockey League.
Sonne replaces Jessica Campbell as assistant coach. Campbell joined former Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma on staff for the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
