The Saskatoon Blades didn’t start the 2025-26 season as they hoped. Despite bringing back every single eligible player from last season, they lost their opener to the rival Prince Albert Raiders, then barely squeaked by them in their first game at home, winning in overtime. The Blades left for Alberta soon after and fell behind 3-0 in the first period in two straight games, although they managed to come back and beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Finally, young star Cooper Williams went down with a lower-body injury in late September and was listed week-to-week.
Yet, the Blades are undefeated in five games since their lacklustre loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers, and it’s been a real team effort. An unfortunate injury created new opportunities and line combinations that have thrived, the team’s veterans have stepped up as leaders, and, most importantly, the Blades have embraced the mindset of starting early and entering each game ready to compete. The team is set on winning the Division title in 2025-26, and they aren’t waiting to secure their spot.
Blades Are Starting on Time
One of the biggest issues to start the season was that the Blades were sluggish out of the gate, allowing their opponents to gain momentum and grab an early lead. In their fifth game, Saskatoon struggled to match the physicality of the Red Deer Rebels and started the second period down 1-0. But the reminders about preparation began to sink in, and soon after, the Blades tied it up and never looked back.
“I think the biggest game plan for us is making sure your preparation’s good, your warm up is good, and then it’s just like a mentality, being ready from the puck drop,” said head coach Dan DaSilva after the 4-2 win over the Rebels. “Trying to establish our game as quickly as we can, trying to keep it simple early, not trying to do too much so that we’re eliminating the risk for error, getting on them, being fast, being relentless, being physical, forcing them to make the mistakes instead of us.”
After giving up the first goal against Red Deer, the Blades have scored first in all but one game, and have scored at least twice before the first buzzer has sounded. They’ve also been strong defensively, giving up 10 shots or fewer. The game against the Vancouver Giants was especially dominant, as goalie Evan Gardner only had to stop three shots in the first period.
Saskatoon’s Brand New Top Line
A big reason for Saskatoon’s quick starts is their brand-new top line. When Williams went down, someone had to move up between David Lewandowski and Hunter Laing. That gap was filled with 20-year-old import Dominik Petr, who was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings over the offseason. Everyone knew he had speed and skill, but he’d never been a point-per-game player in two seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Could he keep up with two NHL prospects?
The short answer is yes. In his first three games on the first line, Petr had four goals and seven points, while his linemates combined for five goals and 15 points. The line also scored Saskatoon’s first goal in three straight games and contributed 10 of the Blades’ 16 goals over the last five matchups. It’s not only been the best line in Saskatoon, but it’s been one of the most effective lines in the WHL, and it would not have happened without Williams’ injury.
“As a coach, you’re just trying to find line combinations that work,” said DaSilva after beating the Giants 6-1. “Right now, they’re benefitting from the Cooper Williams injury. It’s good to have Cooper back, but now that line’s rolling and we’re trying to find some other combinations that are going to work.
When you lose a player like Cooper, you’re really concerned about what’s going to happen to your offence and who can go in and play with those two guys. Now, I think [anyone] could go in there with Lainger and Lewey and put up some points.”
Veterans Are Bringing Their A-Games
The Blades’ ability to adapt after losing a big player is a testament to their depth. The team brought back all of their eligible players from 2024-25, but that’s not all. Last season, a few bumps along the way had to be addressed, so they acquired Petr and defenceman Tristan Doyle to add a stronger veteran presence to their still-very-young team. Both players have come exactly as advertised, stabilizing the roster during massive shakeups and providing options for new, deadly combinations on offence.
Related: Saskatoon Blades’ Brayden Klimpke Emerging as a Key Player
But it’s not just the newcomers who are bringing their A-game. Last week, Evan Gardner was named the WHL’s Goaltender of the Week after posting a 2-0-0 record, a 0.50 goals-against average (GAA), and a .979 save percentage (SV%).
It was a given that Gardner would be one of the top goalies in the league this season. He was the third goalie at Team Canada’s World Junior Hockey Showcase and appeared in an American Hockey League (AHL) game with the Cleveland Monsters. But it’s surprising how quickly he grabbed a top spot; only one goalie has a lower GAA, and two have a higher SV%.
Assistant captain Rowan Calvert has also come up big and is tied for the team lead in goals with six. The 20-year-old was a strong performer last season, earning the team’s Hardest Worker Award, but he’s taken it to another level in 2025-26. In nine games, he has nine points, going only one game without a point in that stretch.
Williams has also been excellent in his return from injury. Although he’s no longer on the top line – there was no way DaSilva was going to break up that unit – he’s found chemistry with Hayden Harsanyi and Zach Olsen on the second line. Since returning to the lineup, Williams has three points in three games, and his line scored the first goal of the game for the Blades.
Jordan Martin and Brayden Klimpke have also been excellent as the top defensive pair, while backup goalie Ethan McCallum has shown he can still step in as needed and secure a win, and rookies Dustin Willhöft, Ben Bowtell, and Tristen Mitchell-McElhone have all found their niche on the team.
The Blades’ biggest challenge comes on Sunday, Oct. 19, when they face the Edmonton Oil Kings, who are also expected to compete for first place in the East Division. If they can get by them, then the Blades can get by anyone.
