The Saskatoon Blades have announced a list of 72 young men who will be vying for a spot on the roster come the start of the Western Hockey League season.
Split into four teams, each named after a Blades alumnus in Braden Holtby, Wendel Clark, Todd McLellan, and Todd Gulutzan, the six dozen skaters will hit the ice on Monday, August 26th and Tuesday, August 27th following physical testing on Sunday, August 25th.
Testing was made up of exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, and a shuttle run. Leading the way in pull ups was Charlie Wright while former Victoria Royal Parker Malchuk placed tied for third with returning Blade Ryan Hughes with 15. For push-ups, goaltender Nolan Maier leads the way with 50 and captain Chase Wouters took the crown for repeating 300-metre runs and had the highest standing long jump.
Yesterday, we met the players from teams, McLellan and Clark, while today we meet those who make up teams Holtby and Gultzan using data from eliteprospects.com and sprinkling in some opinion.
First up is team Holtby and its goaltenders.
The Blades Bantam Draft selection from 2017, Koen Macinnes started in 17 games for the and Burnaby Winter Club Prep squad in the CSSHL and had impressive numbers with a 2.31 goals-against average and .907 save percentage.
Brayden Schenstead is a 2004 born invite from the Warman Wildcats Bantam AA team and had a 3.43 goals-against average and even .900 save percentage in 17 games.
For defenseman, 2019 Bantam Draft selections Nicholas Wolfenberg and Cale Ashcroft will attend and were teammates together last season on a northern Alberta squad.
The first returning Blade on team Holtby’s defense is Aidan De La Gorgendiere. A graduate from the Yale Hockey Academy, De La Gorgendiere suit up in 47 games for Saskatoon in 2018-19 and while he is still looking for his first WHL goal he has five assists and a mere 14 penalty minutes to go along with a +7 rating.
A former Kelowna Rocket, Libor Zabransky is expected to be the second import player on the Blades roster this season along with Kucerik. In 2018-19 Zabransky played 35 games for the Rockets, scoring two goals and chipping in two helpers. He finished the season in the USHL with the Fargo Force skating in an additional 30 games and improving on his points per game average with four goals and 12 assists.
Invites, both 2004 born, Luke Marshall and Aidan Hyra round out the defense for team Holtby.
A native of Red Deer, Alberta, Foxx Doell played for the North Star Chiefs and impressed with nearly two points per game, scoring 25 goals and adding 34 assists for 59points in 33 games. He also suited up in four games for the midget AAA Chiefs in Red Deer where he recorded one assist.
Arguably having some of the highest expectations placed on him heading into camp, the Blades first-round selection in the 2018 Bantam Draft, left-wing Colton Dach stands at six-foot-two-inches and weighs 174 pounds. Colton is the brother of NHL third overall pick Kirby Dach who will be attending the Chicago Blackhawks camp. Colton had 28 points (16 goals and 12 assists) in 32 games for the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers Midget AAA club and would be a surprise to not make the Blades roster out of training camp.
The first of two returning blades on team Holtby, Eric Florchuk is a seventh-round selection of the Washington Capitals and will likely be relied on to make up for some of the offense lost by graduating players such as Max Gerlach and Dawson Davidson. In 68 games with the Blades last season, Florchuk had 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points.
The other returning forward is Riley McKay. Acquired in the 2018 off-season McKay quickly became a fan favourite in his first season with the Blades and was a pest on the ice, constantly drawing penalties and giving his team a spark with a big hit or a fight. He also scored 12 goals and chipped in 15 assists in 68 games to go along with 149 penalty minutes.
Averaging a point per game with 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 33 games is 2018 Bantam Draft selection Jayden Watson.
Other forwards on team Holtby include Ethan Williment, invites, Jordan Normand from the Warman Wildcats, Carter Wickenheiser from Regina, Cash Arnsten and Carson Dobson from the Battleford Starts.
Finally, it`s team Gulutzan.
The first goaltender on the roster is Ethan Chadwick, a 2019 Bantam Draft selection from the Saskatoon Stallions Chadwick had a 2.83 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 22 games with the bantam AA club.
The other goaltender is Carson Cherepak an invite from the Winnipeg Wild. In 27 games with the midget, AAA Wild Cherepak was a stone wall with mere 1.60 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.
Representing the defense and the 2019 Bantam Draft is Aiden Celebrini and Ben Saunderson. A native of North Vancouver, 14-year-old Celebrini is committed to playing for the San Jose Junior Sharks next season while Saunderson is likely to return to the Yellowhead Chiefs program in Manitoba.
Another returning Blade, Nolan Kneen will be attending the Colorado Avalanche rookie camp later this fall. Originally acquired in a trade with the Kamloops Blazers Kneen suited up in 33 games for Saskatoon last season where he scored two goals and added 23 assists. As a 20-year-old, Kneen will battle for one of three available spots as an overage player.
Another Prince Albert Minto graduate, Alex Ozar is a 2017 Bantam Draft selection of the Blades. In 40 games for the Mintos Ozar scored six goals and 27 assists and will make a strong case for a spot on Saskatoon’s blue line with his production from last year.
Another point producer in minor hockey, 2002 born invite Kian Calder skated in 41 games for the Central Plains Capitals Midget AAA club in Manitoba where he notched 30 assists to go along with seven goals.
The final defenseman on team Gulutzan is 2017 Bantam Draft selection is Kyle Lamoureux who skated in a pair of games in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Winkler Flyers last season and will likely return there if he doesn’t crack the roster.
The only returning forward from the Blades on forward for team Gultzan is 20-year-old Ryan Hughes. The former Portland Winterhawk was acquired midway through the season by Saskatoon and skated in 25 games for the Blades. He will make a strong case for himself to be one of the three overage players and will also likely be relied on for more offense, however, he did have more than a point per game with 13 goals and 16 assists in 25 games.
Eligible for the 2020 NHL entry draft is returning Blade Tristen Robins. In 68 games with Saskatoon, last season Robins had nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points.
Acquired from the Calgary Hitmen fairly early last season Zach Huber played 47 games for the Blades where he scored four goals and chipped in two assists to go along with 37 penalty minutes.
A trio of 2019 Bantam Draft selections, Hayden Smith, Brandon Liswosky and Ty Daneult while invites Connor Michaud, Neo Kiemeney, Colby Bathgate and Brandon Ambrozik round out the offense for team Gulutzan.
From the 72 players at camp, 25 of them come as invites with 33 drafted, nine acquired via trades and five listed skaters. 20 different minor leagues are being represented with 17 returning WHL players, four looking to make a return to the WHL and 20 coming from the Saskatchewan Hockey Association.
The Blades open their on-ice training sessions this morning, beginning with team Holtby taking on team Clark at 10:30 a.m. at SaskTel Centre. The public is invited to attend with admission being free to watch any of the games. The full schedule can be found here:
