The Saskatoon Blades are hitting the ice this weekend for their preseason training camp, and after capturing the Scotty Munro Trophy in 2023-24 as the best team in the league, all eyes will be on the team to see whether they can repeat as the top team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). But it’s not going to be easy; several key members from last season’s roster have aged out or moved on to bigger projects, including the team’s head coach, Brennan Sonne, who will be coaching the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Coachella Valley Firebirds.
There are plenty of questions heading into the 2024-25 season, such as where the team’s offense is going to come from and whether the coaching change will have a big impact on performance, but those are difficult to answer now. Instead, let’s look at three questions that should be answered after training camp.
Who Steps Up to Fill the Top Six?
By the end of last season, the Blades offense was led by the trio of Brandon Lisowsky, Trevor Wong, and Yegor Sidorov, with Easton Armstrong and Fraser Minten playing big parts in the playoffs. This season, only Lisowsky will return to Saskatoon; Minten and Sidorov are off to the AHL, Wong graduated and joined the University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ hockey team, and Armstrong signed a deal with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL.
That leaves some major holes to fill on the top lines for 2024-25, but thankfully, there are a few names to keep an eye on. The first is Ben Riche, who was acquired from the Victoria Royals during the offseason for fan favourite Vaughn Watterodt to reduce the number of 20-year-olds heading into this season. While he’s likely set for more of a depth role, he could jump up the lineup thanks to the massive gaps at center following Minten and Wong’s departure. As this will be Riche’s third season in the WHL, he could earn a big boost in ice time and possibly even find himself playing alongside Lisowsky on the top line.
Misha Volotovskii and Rowan Calvert didn’t have the biggest seasons in 2023-24 with just 14 and 25 points, respectively, but the two forwards were named the team’s most-improved players at the end of the season. That speaks well of where the team sees their development and will likely give them some bigger roles heading into 2024-25. Both players were solid during the Blades’ deep playoff run, showing speed and grit in the bottom six that could translate well to more prominent placements.
Thankfully, goaltending will remain a strength with Evan Gardner returning as the team’s starting netminder after his surprising second-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Blades’ defence also doesn’t look too bad with star defenceman Tanner Molendyk remaining to patrol the blue line. However, the team lost some valued experience after John Babcock was traded to the Regina Pats during the offseason and Charlie Wright graduated to join Sonne with the AHL’s Firebirds. While Ben Saunderson and Grayden Siepmann are likely to stick around, there’s no guarantee as both are 20-year-olds.
Which 20-year-olds Will the Blades Keep?
As per WHL rules, teams can only have three players who will turn 20 during the season on their roster. Last season, that was Wong, Armstrong, and Wright. The Blades currently have seven heading into training camp, despite already trading away several players who would have counted against that limit. They do have time to make those difficult decisions – the WHL’s deadline is Oct. 16 – but they still can only dress three per game, rotating them out of the lineup until the deadline. So, who gets those coveted spots?
First, the easy one – Lisowsky isn’t going anywhere in his final WHL season. He was one of the best forwards last season, putting up 42 goals and 80 points in just 68 games, along with 17 points in 16 playoff games. He’ll be crucial for the team’s success in 2024-25 and guaranteed a top-line spot.
Now for the more difficult choices.
Saunderson was the Blades’ top defenceman behind Molendyk last season after scoring 31 points last season along with nine points in the playoffs. The veteran thrived under Sonne’s system, and with Dan DaSilva set to take over, who was an assistant coach since 2021-22, it’s likely he’ll keep many of the same systems in place. That bodes well for Saunderson, who’s experience and leadership will be desperately needed on a much younger roster. Siepmann also found his rhythm with the team in the playoffs, putting up the same number of points as Saunderson. The two veterans would greatly boost an already strong defence corps, and with the team’s offense likely to take a hit, it could be a smart decision to keep both around.
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But there’s also goalie Austin Elliott, who was the Blades’ starter before Gardner stole the show last season. Despite struggling with some consistency, he had solid numbers before losing the starting job, recording a .904 save percentage (SV%) over 43 games. In the playoffs, though, he really struggled, putting up a .887 SV% in three games, despite only allowing two goals in his last two playoff games. With Gardner now the uncontested starter, do the Blades give Elliott a chance to serve as a veteran backup or go with a promising rookie? Keeping him would push out one of the defenceman, which certainly hurts the team, especially since Elliott won’t be playing more than 30 games.
As for the unlucky ones, Rhett Melnyk and Nicholas Andrusiak have likely have played their final games in Saskatoon. While both veterans were solid depth players, they just can’t compete with the aforementioned players, so it’s unlikely that management commits to them over some other options. Alexander Suzdalev is also likely on his way out after being re-assigned to the AHL by the Washington Capitals following the Blades’ final playoff game in May. While Saskatoon would love to have him back, he’s unlikely to remain in the WHL for his 20-year-old season.
Will Any Rookies Push for a Roster Spot?
The Blades don’t have a lot of top prospects coming into the 2024-25 season, but one worth keeping an eye on is goalie Ryley Budd. A second-round pick in the 2023 WHL Bantom Draft, the 16-year-old was unbeatable last season, posting a league-leading 15 wins, .936 SV%, and 1.77 goals-against average, earning him the Canadian Sport School Top U18 Goaltender Award and an invite to Canada’s U17 Development Camp. He’s a great option to take over from Gardner in the future and looks ready for the WHL.
Isaac Poll, a 6-foot-2 right-shot defenceman, was the Blades’ last first-round pick back in 2022, going 21st overall in the Bantam Draft. He managed to appear in six games with Saskatoon last season and could find a more consistent spot with the team in 2024-25. Jordan Martin, another big right-shot defenceman, could earn some more ice time after playing nine games with the Blades last season, as could Brayden Klimpke, who appeared in 13 and scored three assists during his cup of coffee.
On offense, the Blades don’t have as many options, but Zac Olsen is worth keeping an eye on. He played just one game with the Blades last season, but at the U18 level, he had 14 goals and 29 points in 25 games an four goals and nine points in just five playoff games. At 6-foot-2, he could easily slide into a depth role for Saskatoon. Kohen Lodge could also find himself with more minutes than expected after signing his entry-level deal with the Blades in the summer. A ninth-round pick in 2023, he had a strong season with the Red Deer U18 AAA team, putting up 13 goals, 29 points and 32 penalty minutes in 38 games.
With so much change, it’s unfair to expect the Blades to repeat as WHL champions, but stranger things have happened. This team still has a lot of talent and more playoff experience than many of their toughest opponents, putting them in a great position to be a threat each and every night. They’ll just need a few players to step up into some bigger roles to ensure the Blades remain a top team this season.
