Steve Hiscock
East Division

Retired not forgotten

Written by Raymond Bourner on

 

Their Place in Blades Lore

There is a certain peace that comes with sitting in a near-empty Sasktel Centre a half hour before a scrimmage. No music playing yet and a bit of chatter from some of the fans who are waiting to see their hometown team. When looking around the arena you’ll notice all the banners hanging above. Five pennant-winning banners, three regular-season champion banners, and two East Division banners. Sandwiched between those are retired jerseys and a builder’s banner. Looking at some of those names made me think about their time with the Blades, the community, and ultimately their legacy.

Retired not forgotten are these legends.

Photo: Steve Hiscock – Saskatoon Blades

Most of the names would hardly be a surprise to the avid Blades fan in their 50’s and older. For those who can’t recall Blades squads from the 1960s and ’70s, I thought it would be fun to look back in time and revisit these players’ careers and impacts as members of the Saskatoon Blades. The Blades have a total of seven jerseys retired in club history, one of those belonging to the Brodsky family who owned the Blades for some 23 years.

Gerry Pinder #7 was the first Blade to see his number retired. Pinder’s career with the Blades was short, consisting of just two seasons, way back in 1965 and 1966. His numbers jump out at you immediately, 221 points in just 108 career games. Is that good? Pinder also went on to play 10 pro seasons between the NHL and the defunct WHA. Affectionately known as “mouse” due to his slight build, Pinder had a few unique accomplishments during his career and post-hockey life. He won a bronze medal with Canada at the 1968 Olympic Games in Grenoble, France. As an avid golfer, he won the 1972 Canadian Amateur Championships. And to cap it off was named an inductee in the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Netherhill, Saskatchewan’s own Bob Bourne #12 was the second player retired by the team. Bourne has a lengthy resume in hockey, he’s a 4-time Stanley Cup Champion, he was drafted twice in the same year (NHL and WHA), won the Bill Masterton Trophy (Sportsmanship), and he’s a member of the New York Islanders Hall of Fame as well as the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame. Bourne compiled 224 points in three seasons with the Blades from 1971-1974. Bob also won a gold medal during the Canada Cup in 1985. A little-known fact about Bourne, he played semi-professional baseball in Covington, Virginia, before suiting up in the NHL. He and his Islanders teammates dominated in local softball games every summer, a true two-sport athlete.

Bernie Federko, #15 who still holds the record for most points in a single season, with a mind-blowing 187 in 1976. Federko, born in Foam Lake, SK, played a total of three seasons for the Blades amassing a total of 334 points in 206 games. Federko was the first Saskatoon Blade elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. His NHL career spend almost entirely with the St.Louis Blues saw the Centerman score 1130 points in 1000 NHL games. The first player in NHL history to record 50 or more assists in 10 consecutive seasons, Federko was also inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Federko’s number 24 jersey was retired by the St. Louis Blues back in 1991 and hangs alongside other greats Al MacInnes, Brett Hull, and the late Bob Plager.

Brent Ashton #7 again, played for a total of 9 NHL clubs in his 14-year pro career. Don’t let the number of teams he played with fool you, Ashton was an effective journeyman who played just two games shy of 1,000 in his career. The Saskatoon-born and raised Ashton had a four-year WHL career, all with his hometown Blades. Suiting up for 173 games, he tallied 241 points and is a proud member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. Hockey runs in the family bloodline as well, his son Carter has been playing professional hockey for the last 11 years, including 54 NHL games.

A natural leader, Brian Skrudland #10 wore a “C” or an “A” in eight of his 15 NHL seasons. A two-time Stanley Cup champion and one-time Calder Cup (AHL) champion, Skrudland honed his leadership skills by playing alongside Guy Carbonneau and Larry Robinson. Skrudland’s three seasons in Saskatoon resulted in just under a point a game average, 208 GP, and 192 points. Known as a defensive forward, Skrudland was also gritty and didn’t shy away from the physical game. Racking up over 1,100 PIMS in his pro career didn’t prevent the Peace River, AB product from being elected to the Saskatchewan Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame.

One tough customer is how one may explain Wendel Clark #22. His legendary battles with Bob Probert, totaling a hard-to-swallow 116 NHL tilts. His career shortened by injuries due to his aggressive style of play made him a fan favorite. His jersey also hangs at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, where he played 9 of his 15 NHL seasons. Captain Crunch as he was known for his thunderous checks, played for the Blades for two seasons. The future first overall NHL pick scored 155 points in 138 games in his time with the Pac-Men, surviving the dreaded Cooperall days. Elected in 2019 into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, Clark remains an active part of the Blades organization.

There are other banners that hang from the rafters, and we will visit them another time.

Chase Wouters (Keith Hershmiller/WHL)

For now, we will remember these six players and their contributions to the game of hockey. Their humanitarian efforts in giving back to the game, providing endless entertainment for thousands of Saskatoon Blades fans spanning three decades. We now look forward to the 7th member of this elite fraternity of athletes being honored. Chase Wouters, the longest-serving captain in Blades history, will see his #44 in the rafters at some point soon. It was announced by Blades GM, Colin Priestner at the end of the bubble, that no one would wear that number again. Wouters wiping tears from his eyes commented, “It was just an honour being drafted here when I was 14. It’s crazy how fast time flies by”. It’s the one thing that reminds us, they’re human too and it means everything to them as well.