Despite losing several of their top players from last season and transitioning to a much younger roster, the Saskatoon Blades have returned to first place in the league. Their two previous meetings with Western Conference teams proved they were not just the best team in a weak division, either, taking the Everett Silvertips to overtime and beating the Spokane Chiefs 2-1, both of which sit near the top of the Conference.
Still, a lot was riding on their third matchup with a Western team, even though the Seattle Thunderbirds were a significant downgrade from their two previous American matchups. But the Blades wasted no time showing their skill, scoring three goals on six shots in less than seven minutes and showing off their high-end speed every chance they got. Things got nasty after that, but the Blades were still able to keep their composure and come out on top, firmly establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season. Here are three things that stood out from Wednesday’s 5-1 win.
Blades Feeling the Home Crowd Advantage
There’s no better example of the home crowd advantage than last night’s game. Saskatoon ran a promotion, selling tickets for $5 from their team store, which boosted the crowd to 6621, roughly 2000 more than the SaskTel Centre has seen since their home opener over a month ago. The crowd was buzzing, too, and the Blades took that energy and transformed it into goals, which made the crowd even wilder.
“A big part of it is just focusing on it and focusing on our intensity,” said head coach Dan DaSilva following the game. “We knew that there was going to be a big crowd out there. We wanted to get them into it right away, too, and it was our last home game for about a month, so I think the guys were excited for this one and wanted to leave a lasting impression on them, so they come back…I think they had a great show to watch tonight.”
Veteran forward Rowan Calvert echoed the importance of the fans, saying, “I think the crowd is a huge thing. I mean, you can’t really rely on it. Obviously, our starts haven’t been so good, but it was just nice to see that upper bowl open again like it was last year and, you know, the energy and the excitement, and I think the $5 night really helped…Kudos to the fans, and I think the guys were just ready, and we’re excited. There’s just a different vibe in the room for the game.”
Blades Prove They Can Be Fast and Physical
For years, the Blades have relied on skill and speed instead of physicality. Last season’s penalty minute leader was Yegor Sidorov, who finished the season with just 66 penalty minutes (PIM). Heading into this session, Brandon Lisowsky had the most PIM among the returning players with 40. Ten games into the season, Morgan Tastad and Tyler Parr lead the team with 13, which doesn’t even crack the top 50 PIM leaders.
The Thunderbirds, however, are a much tougher team. Four players currently sit in the top 10 in PIM in the WHL, with another among the top 30. Seattle has already had 14 fights this season, with Brayden Holberton leading the way with four and Jaxson Pawlenchuk close behind with three. Saskatoon, on the other hand, has just one.
So, when the Thunderbirds started to use their size and physicality to push the Blades off their game, the Blades responded in kind, answering each jab and push with another, refusing to back down. The small infractions escalated until Cooper Williams threw a huge hit near the benches, leading to a line brawl and multiple matching penalties. Parr squared up Seattle’s Simon Lovsin minutes later, and early in the third, tensions rose again into another line brawl.
“I mean, obviously, it’s not a style or brand of hockey that we want to play,” said DaSilva. “I am proud of the way the guys stood up for each other. They were in there like a band of brothers, and they came and stuck together. We don’t condone or encourage that stuff. We don’t often start it, but I’m glad that we’re in there for each other and have each other’s back. It’s really important, and it brings the team closer together.”
That brotherhood resulted in one of the best plays of the game when Tanner Molendyk picked up the puck in the neutral zone and proceeded to skate circles around everyone before popping it behind goalie Scott Ratzlaff. Even though the game devolved into a chippy, emotional mess, the Blades proved that they could still rise above and flex their skill without worrying too much about the other team’s response.
HOLY MOLY-NDYK 😱@BladesHockey | @PredsNHL pic.twitter.com/LN7Fw606sd
— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 24, 2024
“We don’t strive to have three or fights a night and line brawls and such,” added Calvert. “But if the game calls for it, you got to be able to answer the bell…You’re sticking up for your buddies, so it’s huge for the morale, and it’s huge for this group.”
Battle of the Draft Prospects
The NHL’s Central Scouting Prospects to Watch list was released and featured four players from Wednesday’s game. Seattle’s Braedon Cootes was ranked a ‘B’ level prospect, indicating a second or third-round candidate, while teammate Matej Pekar and Blades’ William James and David Lewandowski all received a ‘W’ grade, indicating a sixth or seventh-round pick.
Related: Top 10 Draft-Eligible WHL Players for 2024-25: Preseason Edition
“Obviously, it’s exciting for those two guys (James and Lewandowski) to be listed on there,” said DaSilva. “For me, it’s a bit of a unique one, but it’s very early in the season. In my belief, if you’re good enough to get drafted, they’ll find you anyways, and you’ll be drafted. So, it’s a step in the right direction, and we probably have a few other guys that could be on that list as well.”
Is there that much difference between a ‘B’ and a ‘W’ level prospect?
There’s no question that Cootes is a special player. He’s strong, fast, has great hands, and is always trying to push the play forward. Whenever the Thunderbirds needed something done, he was on the ice, and Seattle’s only goal of the night was practically accomplished all on his shoulders as he ducked through the defense while carrying the puck and slid it past Evan Gardner. He leads the Thunderbirds with 12 points in 13 games and could end up being a first-round pick if he keeps up his pace.
But James is no slouch, either. In 12 games, he has three goals, which is the same as Cootes, and seven points, many of which have been scored through sheer force of will. James is always looking for ways to maintain possession, and while he isn’t as strong as his Seattle counterpart, he never stops working. He’s in the corners, in front of the net, and took a beating last night, but he always came back to try again. There are few players with a motor like James’. Fellow ‘W’ prospect Pekar had a solid game but didn’t stand out aside from his two penalties and was clearly outmatched when he went head-to-head with James.
Lewandowski has only played five games since coming over from Germany, but he already has two goals and four points thanks to his incredible awareness and all-around presence. The first goal was largely due to his efforts in the corner, where we drew in two Thunderbirds before dishing the puck out to Williams, who passed it over to rookie Zach Olsen, who easily floated it past the goalie. Then he scored the second goal of the game following a similar play, except it was Lewandowski who picked up the loose puck and put it by Ratzlaff. The German rookie lacks some foot speed, but his stride is also short, implying that he could improve with some dedicated work to get a bit more power out of it.
Several other Blades are up for the 2025 Draft despite not getting ranked, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the sleek-skating Brayden Klimpke get some attention later in the season, as well as the defensive defenceman Jordan Martin, who’s shown a bit of a snarl in his first season with the Blades. Hudson Kibblewhite, Colton Worthington, and Lochlan Tetarenko could also earn some late-round consideration but are currently playing limited minutes and thus won’t have as many chances to stand out.
The Blades hit the road and won’t return to Saskatoon until mid-November. They’ll face some tough competition in B.C., but they’ve proven that they have the skill and snarl needed to get by anyone.
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