By Les Lazaruk
2017-18: For the fifth straight season, the Saskatoon Blades failed to qualify for the WHL playoffs. After hosting the 2013 Memorial Cup, the Bridge City Bunch dropped from 44 wins and 94 points to 16 wins and 37 points in 2013-14. Since then, the Blue and Gold have managed to improve on their victories and point totals each season (19 and 42 in 14-15; 26 and 56 in 15-16; 28 and 65 in 16-17; 35 and 74 in 17-18). In fact, in each of the last two seasons, the Blades held an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot with a couple of weeks remaining in the regular-season, only to let it slip from their grasp. Last season, Saskatoon finished with a 35-33-4 record for 74 points. That would’ve been good for second place in the Central Division and their 35 wins were more than four teams that qualified for the postseason (Lethbridge, Red Deer, Prince Albert and Seattle). But, if ifs and buts were candies and nuts, the Saskatoon Blades would have a Merry Christmas!
Offseason departures: Within two weeks of the fifth consecutive failed attempt to qualify for the playoffs, the Blades fired head coach Dean Brockman and assistant coach Bryce Thoma. Brockman had been with Saskatoon for four seasons, the first two as an assistant to Bob Woods and the last two as head coach, while Thoma was an assistant for two seasons with Brockman. As for players, defenceman and captain Evan Fiala, goaltender Tyler Brown and left winger Braylon Shmyr aged out as 20-year-olds. Instead of returning to try and be an overager with the Bridge City Bunch, wingers Caleb Fantillo and Gage Ramsay chose to retire. Russian defenceman Mark Rubinchik signed in the KHL after spending two seasons in Saskatoon while another prospective 19-year-old forward, Alec Zawatsky, asked the team for his release. In addition, 18-year-old left winger Tyler Lees was traded to Victoria.
Newcomers: The most notable newcomers for the Blades are behind the bench. Mitch Love was hired as Brockman’s replacement as head coach after spending the previous eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Everett Silvertips. Fellow Quesnel, B.C. product Ryan Marsh was brought in as Associate Coach after being let go by the Edmonton Oil Kings at the end of last season. As for players – besides the imports, Saskatoon has brought back 1999-born goaltender Dorrin Luding from Everett after dealing him to Seattle the season before. On defence are 17-year-old freshmen Majid Kaddoura and Zachary Ashton plus 16-year-old Aidan De La Gorgendiere, the fifth overall pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. Newcomers to the Blades up front are 10th overall choice in 2017 Kyle Crnkovic (who will start the season sidelined by a shoulder injury) and fellow 16-year-old Braden Plaschewsky and a trio of 17-year-olds in Tristen Robins, Brady Nicholas and Ethan Mack. The Blades also acquired 19-year-old winger Riley McKay from Spokane over the summer to provide some grit up front.
Overage situation: The Bridge City Bunch are set to start the season with defenceman Dawson Davidson, right winger Max Gerlach and left winger Bradly Goethals as their trio of 20-year-olds.
Import situation: After finishing last season with just Mark Rubinchik as an import, the Blue and Gold took 17-year-old Swedish defenceman Emil Malysjev in the first round of the Import Draft, then selected 19-year-old Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen in the second round. Marthinsen was taken in the seventh round of the 2017 NHL Draft by Washington. He’s also the first Norwegian player to be a member of the Blades.
Returning scorers: GP G A Pts
- Max Gerlach 65 35 35 70
- Josh Paterson 72 31 22 53
- Chase Wouters 72 18 33 51
- Eric Florchuk 71 16 34 50
- Kirby Dach 52 7 39 46
- Dawson Davidson 69 10 33 43
- Brad Goethals 69 15 17 32
- Jackson Caller 70 3 23 26
- Michael Farren 62 11 11 22
- Jake Kustra 71 4 14 18
- Logan Christensen 51 5 7 12
Returning goalies: Player GP GAA SV% Record
Nolan Maier 43 3.31 .895 23-17-2
Forwards: Max Gerlach (1998), Tristen Robins (2001), Kyle Crnkovic (02), Eric Florchuk (00), Brad Goethals (98), Brady Nicholas (01), Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen (99), Ethan Mack (01), Michael Farren (00), Riley McKay (99), Logan Christensen (99), Chase Wouters (00), Braden Plaschewsky (02), Brandon Machado (00), Josh Paterson (99), Kirby Dach (01).
Defence: Randen Schmidt (2000), Jake Kustra (1999), Dawson Davidson (98), Aidan De La Gorgendiere (02), Seth Bafaro (00), Emil Malysjev (01), Zachary Ashton (01), Majid Kaddoura (01), Jackson Caller (99).
Goaltenders: Koen MacInnes (2002), Dorrin Luding (1999), Nolan Maier (01).
Outlook: The Blades finished sixth and last in the East Division last season, despite having a better than .500 record (by points percentage). If Saskatoon can win another 35 games this year, they should be able to finish in the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 since the top three teams in the WHL’s version of a World Cup of Soccer “Group of Death” made big moves to try to win a championship. Swift Current was able to achieve that, Regina got to the Memorial Cup final as the host team while the Moose Jaw Warriors flamed out in the second round. All three should take a step back, opening up a postseason berth for the Priestner family ownership for the first time.
