The Saskatoon Blades’ training camp weekend wrapped up on Sunday with an exciting final match between Team Pinder and Team Federko, with Team Pinder taking home the Kirkness Cup with a 5-3 win. But after a fun weekend that showcased plenty of young talent, now it’s time to get down to business. Just ahead of their first preseason game against the Prince Albert Raiders on Sept. 4, the Blades announced their first round of cuts, trimming their roster to 34.
There weren’t a lot of surprises in their first round of cuts; all five of their 20-year-olds who were at camp remained on the roster, as were those that played with the Blades last season, even if just for a few games. However, after some solid training camp performances, there are a few names to keep an eye on to make some roster spots. So, let’s take a look at the four teams from the training camp tournament, who made the initial preseason roster and who stood out the most in the games.
Team Pinder (Black)
Under the name of one of the Blades’ first stars, Gerry Pinder, Team Pinder rolled to the championship undefeated thanks to the incredible performances from veterans Misha Volotovskii and Rowan Calvert. They looked fast and strong, driving the play into the offensive zone and using their strength and determination to create space and opportunities for their teammates. But they also weren’t afraid to take the puck to the net themselves and both skaters picked up three goals across the four games.
However, the pair combined for just 19 goals last season, and with 69 goals leaving with Yegor Sidorov and Fraser Minten, the Blades will need a goalscorer to step up. Enter Jaggar John and Vlastimil Blazek. John scored two beautiful goals during the tournament, including a great one-timer in Team Pinder’s first game against Team Belak. Blazek, the Blades’ first-round pick at the 2024 Import Draft, only scored two empty-net goals, but he was frequently in the right place at the right time and had some great shots that just couldn’t get by the goalie.
Team Pinder went a perfect 4-0 at @MotionFitCanada Training Camp to capture the Kirkness Cup!
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) September 1, 2024
RECAP 📰 | https://t.co/MYRVhXy4nK pic.twitter.com/u0PrZFEWDE
On defence, Brayden Klimpke was easily the prettiest skater at camp. He floated across the ice, utilizing effortless crossovers, quick transitions, and high-end speed to create space. It was reminiscent of Tanner Molendyk, although Klimpke doesn’t look to be quite as strong of a two-way presence right now as he seemed to lack strength in both his shot and using his body to separate players from the puck. I was also surprised with goalie Logan Cunningham, who could give Austin Elliott and Ryley Budd a run for their money for the backup job. The 19-year-old spent all of 2022-23 in the Western Hockey League (WHL) before leaving for Junior A, but at training camp, he was one of the better positional goalies, moving quickly and efficiently to make big saves look effortless.
Other players to watch: Isaac Poll, RD, and Jack Lavallee, RD.
Team Federko (Gold)
There’s no question as to who will be the Blades’ starting goaltender in 2024-25. After an incredible rookie campaign last season, in which he posted a league-high .927 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.91 goals-against average (GAA), Evan Gardner will be the go-to guy in Saskatoon’s crease. It was no surprise to see him and Team Federko, named after NHL Hall-of-Famer Bernie Federko and his brother Ken who both starred for the Blades in the 1970s, in the training camp Final, and even though his team came in second, he looked confident and poised on every shot.
Lukas Hansen and Tyler Parr served as Team Federko’s play drivers on offence, and along with Ben Saunderson on defence, the team had three very skilled veterans helping calm down the rookies. Although the trio combined for two goals throughout the tournament – both scored by Hansen – they played very selfless hockey, making sure that they were giving the younger members chances to thrive. 17-year-old Colten Worthington thrived the most from that support, matching their pace and work ethic when he played on their line. His three games last season seem to have given the 17-year-old a boost of confidence heading into 2024-25.
Then there was Zach Olsen, the Blades’ second-round Bantam Draft selection back in 2023. He can be a strong offensive presence and last season, he put up 14 goals and 29 points in 25 games with Edge Prep School’s U18 team plus another nine points in five playoff games. But at the Blades camp, the 16-year-old looked like another one of the veterans, calmly addressing each situation and playing a lot of smart two-way hockey. He only scored once in four games but was easily one of the most noticeable players on the ice at all times.
Other players to watch: Jordan Martin, RD, and Kohen Lodge, F.
Team Maracle (White)
Despite having Brandon Lisowsky leading their offence, Team Maracle, named after goalie Norm Maracle, who was the Blades’ starting goalie in the early 1990s before going on to play for the Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers, was headlined by top goalie prospect Budd, who looks to have a very bright future with the team. He led the Canadian Sport School U18 Hockey League (CSSHL) with a 1.77 GAA, a .936 SV%, and was named the league’s top goaltender. At just 5-foot-11, he’s a little undersized, but there’s a good chance the 16-year-old will add a few more inches before he leaves the WHL.
Related: 3 Questions Heading Into Saskatoon Blades’ 2024-25 Training Camp
Defenceman Nathan Guenther also stood out for his solid defence. The younger sibling of Utah Hockey Club’s Dylan Guenther was certainly exhibiting some of his brother in his calm, patient approach to his role. He wasn’t quite as skilled at moving the puck as his older brother, but he still had 25 points in 30 games last season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U17s. Add in his 6-foot-2 frame and he could be one to keep an eye on in the preseason.
Ben Riche emerged as one of his team’s best players, leading them with three goals in four games. It was the fans’ first look at the newly-acquired center after he was added during the offseason and he didn’t disappoint, employing strong puck protection techniques and speed to set up plays in the offensive zone. At 5-foot-11, he’s not the biggest guy, but his size didn’t hold him back at camp and likely won’t once the season gets underway, either.
Other players to watch: William James, F, and Triston Mitchell-McElhone, F.
Team Belak (Blue)
One team has to come in last and this year, that was Team Belak, bearing the name of the late enforcer Wade Belak, who spent three seasons in Saskatoon before moving on to the NHL. The team lacked a veteran presence up front, leaving a lot of the heavy lifting to defenceman Grayden Siepmann. That’s a lot of responsibility to put on a player who struggled to adapt to the Blades’ system last season after coming over from the Calgary Hitmen mid-season, but he looked like one of Saskatoon’s top defencemen. He was fast, strong on the puck, and smart in his positioning and decision-making. He also tied for the team’s scoring lead with two goals, which might give him a leg up on securing one of the three 20-year-old spots.
Unfortunately, that might mean there’s no room for Elliott, who started last season as the Blades’ starting goalie but lost the job to Gardner partway through. He looked sound enough when he played, moving confidently across the crease and making some solid saves, but with Team Belak sitting at the bottom of the standings by the end of the weekend, he’ll have an uphill battle to overtake Budd or Cunningham and prove he’s worth a 20-year-old spot as a backup goalie.
I was also impressed with defenceman Morgan Tastad at training camp. While Team Belak was struggling with turnovers, he was a steadying presence on the blue line, demonstrating good patience and awareness in the defensive end. The 18-year-old also brings some much-needed size to Saskatoon’s defence, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 195 pounds. He could be a difference-maker in his sophomore WHL campaign.
Other players to watch: Jack Ivanusec, F, Hudson Kibblewhite, F, and Cooper Williams, F.
Blades Have a Promising Prospect Pool
You can’t keep everyone, and while most of the cuts made sense, there were a few players who I believed should have stuck around at least a little longer. Tyson Draper spent last season with the Southwest Cougars AAA and a brief cup of coffee with the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), with which he signed a letter of intent to play with them for 2024-25. That likely played some part in his release, but he undoubtedly turned some heads among the Blades’ staff. He was easily the most violent player at camp, but when he got the puck, he was almost impossible to push around, making him a dangerous net-front presence and a valuable bottom-six forward.
I also liked Gardner’s partner, Malakai Zwiers. At 6-foot-4, he used his size well to cover a lot of the net, especially up high. He didn’t allow a single goal by him in his first 30 minutes and while the shots weren’t especially dangerous, he remained focused. Later on, he started to look more panicked and several saves resulted in juicy rebounds, but his athleticism and size helped him make some desperate, sprawling saves to keep his team in the game. Just shy of 17 years old, he’ll join the CSSHL for 2024-25, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name pop up in Saskatoon in the future.
The final name that caught my attention was Mason Moreland, the Blades’ first-round selection in the U.S. Priority Draft. he played far more confidently than you’d expect from a 14-year-old in their first WHL camp and he scored several key goals for Team Pinder en route to their championship. He has speed, size, and skill, and while he’s too young to play this season, he’ll be back as soon as the Blades can get him on their team. Until then, there are plenty of prospects to watch as Saskatoon takes to the ice this week against the Prince Albert Raiders and Brandon Wheat Kings in preseason action.
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