The Saskatoon Blades
are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 11,310 seat Credit Union Centre.
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SASKATOON BLADES TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|
| Saskatoon Blades vs. Edmonton Oil Kings Tickets 11/15 | Nov 15, 2024
Fri, 7:00 PM |  | | Saskatoon Blades vs. Tri-City Americans Tickets 11/16 | Nov 16, 2024
Sat, 7:00 PM | | | Saskatoon Blades vs. Medicine Hat Tigers Tickets 11/19 | Nov 19, 2024
Tue, 7:00 PM | | | Moose Jaw Warriors vs. Saskatoon Blades Tickets 11/21 | Nov 21, 2024
Thu, 7:00 PM | | | Medicine Hat Tigers vs. Saskatoon Blades Tickets 11/23 | Nov 23, 2024
Sat, 7:00 PM | |
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History
The Saskatoon Blades were originally founded in 1964 as a team in the
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and transferred leagues in
1966–67 with the foundation of the
Western Hockey League. They are the only team remaining in the league from the WHL's foundation still in their original city (the
Regina Pats are also still around, but they dropped out of the WHL for a few seasons early on to go back to the SJHL). The Blades spent many seasons at the old
Saskatoon Arena where they built up a strong fanbase and developed many top players. In 1988, they moved to
Saskatchewan Place and hosted the
Memorial Cup tournament in May, 1989, where they finished the round robin with a 5–4 victory over the
Swift Current Broncos who had a 14 game undefeated streak, which consisted of sweeping through the WHL playoffs and winning their 1st two round robin games. However, the Blades lost in overtime in the Memorial Cup Final to the Broncos. They also lost in the WHL league finals in 1992 and 1994 to the
Kamloops Blazers in seven games. The Blades have never won the
Ed Chynoweth Cup, and currently have the longest
championship drought in the
Canadian Hockey League.
The Blades are currently owned by the Brodsky Family. They have been a huge success at the gate. Throughout their existence, the team has had a fierce rivalry with both the
Regina Pats and the
Prince Albert Raiders. As many of the players are still in their mid-teens,
Marion M. Graham Collegiate plays host to many of the players, due to the short distance.
In the 2008–09 Season, the Saskatoon Blades made history by tying a WHL record for most road wins in a single season (28) with the 1999–00 Calgary Hitmen. In that season, the Blades went on to win their first East Division Championship since 1994.
Players
Current roster
| Goaltenders
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Born
| Place of birth
| Drafted
|
| 1
|
| Braden Holtby
| 1989
| Marshall, Saskatchewan
| WAS
– 4th round, 93rd overall – 2008
|
| 30
|
| Adam Morrison
| 1991
| Surrey, British Columbia
| PHI
– 3rd round, 81st overall – 2009
|
| Defencemen
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Born
| Place of Birth
| Drafted
|
| 3
|
| Sam Klassen
| 1989
| Watrous, Saskatchewan
| Eligible 2008
|
| 4
|
| Teigan Zahn
| 1990
| Bethune, Saskatchewan
| CHI
– 5th round, 132nd overall – 2008
|
| 6
|
| Stefan Elliott
| 1991
| North Vancouver, British Columbia
| COL
– 2nd round, 49th overall – 2009
|
| 8
|
| Jyri Niemi
| 1990
| Hämeenkyrö, Finland
| NYI
– 3rd round, 72nd overall – 2008
|
| 27
|
| Ryan Funk
| 1989
| Morden, Manitoba
| Eligible 2009
|
| 47
|
| Colin Joe
| 1988
| Edmonton, Alberta
| Undrafted
|
| 55
|
| Brendon Wall
| 1990
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| Eligible 2009
|
| Forwards
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Position
| Born
| Place of Birth
| Drafted
|
| 9
|
| Curtis Hamilton
| LW
| 1991
| Kelowna, British Columbia
| Eligible 2010
|
| 11
|
| Chris Langkow
| C
| 1989
| Vegreville, Alberta
| Eligible 2010
|
| 17
|
| Derek Hulak – C
| LW
| 1989
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| Eligible 2009
|
| 19
|
| Milan Kytnar
| C
| 1989
| Topolcany, Slovakia
| EDM
– 5th round, 127th overall – 2007
|
| 20
|
| Josh Nichols
| C
| 1992
| Tsawwassen, British Columbia
| Eligible 2011
|
| 24
|
| Walker Wintoneak
| RW
| 1989
| Flin Flon, Manitoba
| Eligible 2009
|
| 25
|
| Burke Gallimore
| RW
| 1991
| Edmonton, Alberta
| Eligible 2009
|
| 26
|
| Darian Dziurzynski
| LW
| 1991
| Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
| Eligible 2009
|
| 32
|
| Gaelan Patterson
| LW
| 1990
| Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
| CGY
– 7th round, 201st overall – 2009
|
| 37
|
| Travis Toomey
| C
| 1990
| Leduc, Alberta
| Eligible 2008
|
| 41
|
| Charles Inglis
| C
| 1992
| Winnipeg, Manitoba
| Eligible 2010
|
| 44
|
| Adam Chorneyko
| LW
| 1988
| St. Albert, Alberta
| Undrafted
|
NHL alumni
Bernie Federko
is the only former Blade in the
Hockey Hall of Fame.
Retired numbers
- 7 Brent Ashton
- 10 Brian Skrudland
- 15 Bob Bourne
- 22 Wendel Clark
- 24 Bernie Federko
Coaches
- Burns McDonald 1964–65
- George Agar 1964–65 to 1969–70
- George Senick 1969–70*
- Jackie McLeod 1970–71 to 1978–79
- Jerry Engele 1979–80
- Lorne Frey 1980–81
- Daryl Lubiniecki 1981–82 to 1983–84
- Marcel Comeau 1984–85 to 1988–89
- Terry Ruskowski 1989–90 to 1990–91
- Lorne Molleken – 1991–92 to 1994–95
- Donn Clark – 1995–96 to 1997–98
- Willie Desjardins – 1998*
- Brad McCrimmon – 1998–99 to 1999–2000
- Kevin Dickie – 2000–01 to 2003–04
- Jamie Reeve – 2003–04*
- Lorne Molleken – 2004–05 to present
*interm (regular head coach fired, sick or suspended)
Season-by-season record
Note:
GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
| Season
| GP
| W
| L
| T
| OTL
| GF
| GA
| Points
| Finish
| Playoffs
|
| 1966–67
| 56
| 25
| 24
| 7
| –
| 288
| 271
| 57
| 5th Overall
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1967–68
| 60
| 20
| 31
| 9
| –
| 260
| 362
| 49
| 7th Overall
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1968–69
| 60
| 24
| 35
| 1
| –
| 195
| 271
| 49
| 3rd West
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1969–70
| 60
| 18
| 41
| 1
| –
| 202
| 282
| 37
| 4th West
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1970–71
| 66
| 29
| 36
| 1
| –
| 295
| 299
| 59
| 3rd West
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1971–72
| 68
| 37
| 28
| 3
| –
| 312
| 258
| 77
| 2nd East
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1972–73
| 68
| 46
| 11
| 11
| –
| 323
| 184
| 103
| 1st East
| Lost final
|
| 1973–74
| 68
| 30
| 29
| 9
| –
| 283
| 272
| 69
| 4th East
| Lost quarter-final
|
| 1974–75
| 70
| 38
| 22
| 10
| –
| 344
| 244
| 86
| 1st East
| Lost final
|
| 1975–76
| 72
| 43
| 19
| 10
| –
| 390
| 269
| 96
| '''1st East
| Lost final
|
| 1976–77
| 72
| 30
| 30
| 12
| –
| 317
| 290
| 72
| 2nd East
| Lost preliminary round
|
| 1977–78
| 72
| 20
| 50
| 2
| –
| 340
| 460
| 42
| 4th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1978–79
| 72
| 26
| 32
| 14
| –
| 385
| 398
| 66
| 2nd East
| Lost East Division final
|
| 1979–80
| 72
| 27
| 40
| 5
| –
| 331
| 382
| 59
| 7th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1980–81
| 72
| 22
| 47
| 3
| –
| 297
| 427
| 47
| 8th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1981–82
| 72
| 44
| 26
| 2
| –
| 450
| 343
| 90
| 3rd East
| Lost East Division quarter-final
|
| 1982–83
| 72
| 52
| 19
| 1
| –
| 467
| 303
| 105
| 1st East
| Lost East Division semi-final
|
| 1983–84
| 72
| 36
| 36
| 0
| –
| 347
| 350
| 72
| 7th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1984–85
| 72
| 29
| 41
| 2
| –
| 309
| 378
| 60
| 6th East
| Lost East Division quarter-final
|
| 1985–86
| 72
| 38
| 28
| 6
| –
| 381
| 360
| 81
| 4th East
| Lost East Division semi-final
|
| 1986–87
| 72
| 44
| 26
| 2
| –
| 369
| 282
| 90
| 2nd East
| Lost East Division final
|
| 1987–88
| 72
| 41
| 22
| 3
| –
| 381
| 294
| 97
| 1st East
| Lost East Division final
|
| 1988–89
| 72
| 42
| 28
| 2
| –
| 366
| 335
| 86
| 2nd East
| Lost East Division final
|
| 1989–90
| 72
| 33
| 34
| 5
| –
| 325
| 354
| 71
| 4th East
| Lost East Division semi-final
|
| 1990–91
| 72
| 29
| 41
| 2
| –
| 309
| 363
| 60
| 7th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1991–92
| 72
| 38
| 29
| 5
| –
| 315
| 260
| 81
| 3rd East
| Lost final
|
| 1992–93
| 72
| 42
| 27
| 3
| –
| 311
| 236
| 87
| 3rd East
| Lost East Division semi-final
|
| 1993–94
| 72
| 49
| 22
| 1
| –
| 326
| 229
| 99
| 1st East
| Lost final
|
| 1994–95
| 72
| 41
| 23
| 8
| –
| 324
| 254
| 90
| 3rd East
| Lost East Division semi-final
|
| 1995–96
| 72
| 29
| 42
| 1
| –
| 314
| 351
| 59
| 4th East
| Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
|
| 1996–97
| 72
| 18
| 48
| 6
| –
| 227
| 344
| 42
| 6th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1997–98
| 72
| 25
| 39
| 8
| –
| 263
| 327
| 58
| 4th East
| Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
|
| 1998–99
| 72
| 16
| 49
| 7
| –
| 184
| 291
| 39
| 6th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 1999–00
| 72
| 34
| 27
| 8
| 3
| 216
| 223
| 79
| 2nd East
| Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
|
| 2000–01
| 72
| 19
| 43
| 5
| 5
| 193
| 265
| 48
| 5th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 2001–02
| 72
| 27
| 37
| 5
| 3
| 216
| 257
| 62
| 4th East
| Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
|
| 2002–03
| 72
| 40
| 27
| 5
| 0
| 234
| 205
| 85
| 3rd East
| Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
|
| 2003–04
| 72
| 7
| 52
| 11
| 2
| 140
| 279
| 27
| 5th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 2004–05
| 72
| 37
| 23
| 6
| 6
| 234
| 215
| 86
| 2nd East
| Lost Eastern Conference Quarter Finals
|
| Season
| GP
| W
| L
| OTL
| SOL
| GF
| GA
| Points
| Finish
| Playoffs
|
| 2005–06
| 72
| 41
| 25
| 2
| 4
| 232
| 217
| 88
| 2nd East
| Lost Eastern Conference Semi Finals
|
| 2006–07
| 72
| 27
| 41
| 2
| 2
| 174
| 231
| 58
| 6th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 2007–08
| 72
| 29
| 34
| 3
| 6
| 182
| 229
| 67
| 5th East
| Out of playoffs
|
| 2008–09
| 72
| 49
| 18
| 3
| 2
| 283
| 195
| 103
| 1st East
| Lost Eastern Conference Quarter Finals''
|
Team records
| Team records for a single season
|
| Statistic
| Total
| Season
|
| Most points
| 105
| 1982–83
|
| Most wins
| 52
| 1982–83
|
| Most road wins (Tied WHL record)
| 28
| 2008–09
|
| Most goals for
| 461
| 1982–83
|
| Least goals for
| 140
| 2003–04
|
| Least goals against
| 184
| 1972–73
|
| Most goals against
| 460
| 1977–78
|
| Individual player records for a single season
|
| Statistic
| Player
| Total
| Season
|
| Most goals
| Frank Banham
| 83
| 1995–96
|
| Most assists
| Bruce Eakin
| 125
| 1981–82
|
| Most points
| Bernie Federko
| 187
| 1975–76
|
| Most points, rookie
| Lane Lambert
| 114
| 1981–82
|
| Most points, defenceman
| Pat Price
| 95
| 1973–74
|
| Best GAA (goalie)
| Ed Humphreys
| 2.57
| 1972–73
|
| Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played
|
See also
- List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan