Unlike the NHL, junior hockey can feel like a whirlwind. Players are only eligible to play from ages 16 to 21, meaning that only the special few remain with a team for five years; more commonly, players are only around for two or three seasons before going off to play in the NHL or find new opportunities elsewhere. The Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Saskatoon Blades saw several fan-favourites leave during the 2024-25 season, leaving the team with a brand new look partway through the year.
But, according to Troy Gillard, the play-by-play voice for the Red Deer Rebels, that’s part of what makes junior hockey so special. It’s always exciting to cheer for the players who will go on to become household names, but “you also get these guys that have worked their tails off in the WHL, go off to play university or college hockey for three or four more years, and then go on to lengthy professions, and they’re doing well for themselves that way. And then you get to know other guys who you just never quite know where their journeys are going. I love the unique stories that come with being around a junior hockey club. All of those things meshing together is what keeps me coming back.”
Many fans can relate to Gillard’s point of view. No matter where a player goes or how long they stay, it’s always special to have them pass through their hometown arena. As the Blades gear up to hit the ice again in September, here’s a reminder of those who spent some time in Saskatoon last season and where they’ll play in 2025-26.
Offseason Moves
Frantisek Dej
At 6-foot-5, Frantisek Dej is an imposing forward, which is exactly why the Blades brought him on board following the 2024 World Junior Championship. The Slovakian had spent a season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in 2023-24, but returned home when the team decided to use their import spots on Latvian goalie Linards Feldbergs and Swiss defender Elia Pedrotti. Dej got a second chance in North America with Saskatoon, but it was admittedly underwhelming; after 15 games, he had just two assists. Injuries were an issue, but it wasn’t enough to commit to another Import spot, so the 19-year-old was allowed to return home again. He’s set to join HC Banska Bystrica for the 2025-26 season.
Morgan Tastad and William James
For the first time in nearly 20 years, the WHL admitted an expansion team, granting the Penticton Vees the 23rd spot in the league. That meant an expansion draft, and it was anyone’s guess as to who the team would select from each team. However, Saskatoon decided to get something in return for losing a player, and instead of simply letting the Vees select someone, sent defenceman Morgan Tastad and prospect Ethan Weber to the new team in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2025 WHL Draft. Not long after, the Blades made another trade with the Vees, sending forward Willy James for a mid-round pick, which was used to move up into the first round and select Kain Martinuk 15th overall.
For both players, it’s a positive change of scenery. “For Willy James, it was a great chance at a refresh,” Blades general manager Colin Priestner after the deal was announced, “He had a great start to the year for the first 10 games, and then (suffered) a lot of injuries and just never got on track with us. There’s so many young guys coming in that are signed, so we didn’t want him to be in a numbers game.” As for the defensive-minded Tastad, he wasn’t expected to push for a top pairing spot in Saskatoon, but in Penticton, he’ll be one of the most experienced defenders on their blue line. Both players will return in their new uniforms on Feb. 25, 2026, when the Vees visit Saskatoon for the first time.
Hudson Kibblewhite
Just over a month ago, the Blades made their final roster move before training camp, sending 18-year-old forward Hudson Kibblewhite to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the 19-year-old defenceman Tristan Doyle, along with several picks going either way. It may seem hypocritical to trade away Tastad because he wouldn’t have many opportunities on this year’s blue line, then acquire a veteran defender a few months later, but Priestner explained, “We absolutely love and have huge confidence in our emerging four-man D group at 2007…and we felt it was very important to add one veteran defenceman to that group to insulate them and give them the opportunity to thrive in their roles since we didn’t have any 19 or 20 year year-old defencemen returning with (Grayden) Siepmann and (Ben) Saunderson graduating.”
As for Kibblewhite, he’ll hopefully take another step in his development after two seasons of injuries and inconsistency on Saskatoon’s bottom six. “I think Kibblewhite has had an up-and-down first half with injuries, but there’s a ton of upside there with him,” Priestner said back in January following the flurry of deadline moves. If he can stay healthy, he has a great chance to play some big minutes with a retooling Lethbridge team that lost Brayden Yager to the American Hockey League (AHL), Leo Braillard to Switzerland, and Miguel Marques to the NCAA.
WHL Graduates
Ben Saunderson
Saunderson first donned the blue and gold on March 26, 2021, and over the next four seasons, he became one of the Blades’ most reliable defencemen, blending hard work with strong defensive positioning. He threw big hits, shut down top opposing forwards, and ensured his teammates had the most opportunities to thrive. He also had some skill with the puck, too, totalling 10 goals and 87 points over 259 games, with his most-productive season coming just this past year, where he put up 36 points in 67 games. But what made him truly a special player was his commitment to serving his community. He always made time to speak to kids and give back in any way he could, which earned him the ‘C’ for 2024-25 and the Community Minded Award at the end of the season.
Saunderson initially committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2025-26 season, but over the offseason, he switched his commitment to the University of Saskatchewan. “I’m super excited [to be joining the Huskies], I’ve been in Saskatoon for five years now with the Blades, and it feels like a second home to me,” he said following the announcement. “The Huskies are just a first-class organization, and I’m super proud to be a part of it. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the schooling side and the organization, their winning history, and obviously, a really good year last year made it hard to leave the city.”
Grayden Siepmann
Siepmann was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen in 2023-24 to help give the Blades an established top-four defenceman as they pushed to claim their first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history. It took some time for him to adjust to his new team, but once the playoffs began, he was ready to go. Siepmann’s nine points in 16 games tied Saunderson for third among defencemen before Saskatoon was sent home by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the semi-final.
Siepmann stuck around for the 2024-25 as one of Saskatoon’s three 20-year-olds and continued to provide a consistent offensive threat from the blue line. In 68 games, he put up a career-high 10 goals and 48 points, then led the team with two goals in four playoff games. Like many other WHL graduates, he committed to the NCAA, joining the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He’ll be the team’s only freshman defenceman next season, but he has some excellent mentors in Adam Kleber and Brady Cleveland as he navigates his first season of college hockey.
Tanner Scott
The final Blades graduate also spent the least amount of time in Saskatoon. Tanner Scott was acquired from the Victoria Royals, where he played from 2020 until the trade. “I’m very shocked, obviously,” he said after the trade. “I was supposed to be a five-year guy there…(but) I love the opportunity here, I love my new linemates, and it seems like we found some chemistry right away.” Scott recorded 142 points in 245 games with the Royals for a 0.58 point-per-game (PPG) pace over his career there, but in Saskatoon, he put up 20 points in 33 games, jumping up to 0.61 PPG. An upper-body injury kept him off the ice during the playoffs, which put a damper on his final games in the WHL. However, his future is still bright, as he’s off to Bowling Green State University along with several other WHLers.
Trade Deadline Departures
Blades’ fans are likely too familiar with the team’s exodus of players last January, but it’s worthwhile to remember the players that helped shape the roster to what it is today.
Two big names headlined the Blades’ flurry of moves: Brandon Lisowsky and Tanner Molendyk. Both players had made a home in Saskatoon and were big parts of the playoff push in 2023-24 that ended in heartbreak, but both will live on with the franchise. Lisowsky left for the Royals with 143-career goals, the fourth-highest total in franchise history, and Molendyk emerged as one of the most dynamic defencemen in the WHL, leading to the Blades renaming their annual Defenceman of the Year to the Tanner Molendyk Award.
Both found differing degrees of success after leaving Saskatoon. Lisowsky remained a point-per-game player, recording 18 goals and 31 points in 32 games with the Royals. Although he didn’t earn the NHL contract he was hoping for, he’s off to Colorado College to continue his hockey career in the NCAA. Molendyk became a major piece for the Medicine Hat Tigers’ championship-winning team and nearly captured a Memorial Cup before falling just short to the powerful London Knights. He’s now off to start his pro career with the Nashville Predators and is slated to join their AHL team, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Four other players left the Blades roster at that time. Misha Volotovskii joined Molendyk in Medicine Hat and is set to return to the Tigers as one of the team’s 20-year-olds. Lukas Hansen was sent to the Hitmen, and although his time was fraught with injuries, he, too, is set to return as one of Calgary’s leaders. Lochlan Tetarenko also struggled with injuries last season and only played five games with the Portland Winterhawks after the trade. He’ll be itching to reassert his place in the lineup after missing most of 2024-25.
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The final player moved was maybe the most confusing, as Ben Riche was leading the Blades with 54 points before he was sent to the Prince George Cougars. “From the moment I stepped in, (I felt like a Blade),” he said, after leading the WHL in preseason points. “I came in a little bit early, and I did a kids’ camp, which is good to come meet some of the guys. They were very welcoming. A great group, and it’s super positive and a great atmosphere in the room.”
Despite looking like the perfect Blade, the Cougars made an offer Saskatoon could hardly refuse, sending Hunter Laing, prospect Luke Dumas, and two draft picks for the breakout star. However, Riche only managed 20 points in his last 27 games in Prince George, plus three points in seven playoff games. His strong start saw him ranked 174th by NHL Central Scouting for the 2025 Draft as an overager, but he was dropped off after his slower second half. Initially, he had committed to Quinnipiac University for 2026-27, but a less-than-ideal finish to last season may have changed his mind, and he moved up his enrolment date to this fall.
Blink and You’ll Miss It
Austin Elliott
One of the first players to leave the Blades last season, veteran netminder Austin Elliott was an unfortunate victim of circumstance. Although he was entering his 20-year-old season and had started for Saskatoon for the past two campaigns, he lost his spot to standout rookie Evan Gardner. It didn’t make sense for Saskatoon to use one of their three overage spots on a backup goalie, so he was released in October after going undefeated in three games.
Over in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the Knights had a similar situation with their goalies. Rookie Alexei Medvedev was set to make his OHL debut alongside 20-year-old backup Owen Willmore, who backed up Michael Simpson to a 2024 Championship. But for a team looking at another title run, their crease lacked experience, which Elliott had plenty of after helping Saskatoon claim first place in the WHL the previous season. So, Whitmore was released to make room for the former Blade, and Elliott went on to put up historic numbers with the OHL powerhouse. Over 33 starts, he lost just one game, which came after 12 starts, and in the playoffs, he was nearly perfect en route to a second title for London.
Elliott capped off his remarkable season with a Memorial Cup title with London and an invite to attend the Dallas Stars development camp in the summer. He’s now off to college at UMass-Lowell, where he and two other freshmen will compete for the starting job this season. While competition will be stiff, no one else has had a 2024-25 season like Elliott, which may give him the inside track for the job. And who knows? Maybe an NHL contract will follow before too long.
Logan Cunningham
There’s no shame in forgetting Logan Cunningham’s time with the Blades. After playing with Victoria and the Edmonton Oil Kings, the 19-year-old goalie joined Saskatoon at the beginning of the 2024-25 season to back up Gardner. But, after just one game, he was traded to the Tri-City Americans, where he didn’t see a single start before joining the Devon Xtreme in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). Despite recording a .914 save percentage over 12 starts, it seems he wasn’t satisfied there, and in January 2025, he signed with the British Columbia Hockey League’s (BCHL) Vernon Vipers, where he finished the season. However, he may be heading back to Alberta, as the Xtreme recently announced they’d traded him to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He is still eligible to return to the WHL for one more season, but that seems unlikely at this point.
Cameron Sytsma
Cameron Sytsma joined the Blades early in 2024-25 from the Everett Silvertips to help shore up their blueline. But after 15 games and zero points, he was released and joined the Langley Rivermen in the BCHL, where he played another three games. At 19 years old, he could find another WHL team, but he could also look at an NCAA program for this or next season.
Vlastimil Blazek
The Blades’ top import choice in the 2024 draft, the Czech forward never found his game in North America. He skated in just 15 games, recording two assists, and was a frequent healthy scratch before he was quietly released ahead of the 2024-25 trade deadline in January. He joined Kärpät’s program in Finland, playing another five games between the U18 and U20 teams before the season ended. At the time of publication, Elite Prospects has not listed Blazek as an active player for 2025-26.
Gearing Up for the New Season
Last season was a growing one for the Blades, yet they remained competitive throughout the season, forcing their way into the playoffs despite selling off most of their top talent at the deadline. The young core is now in place, headlined by Cooper Williams and David Lewandowski and supported by a cohort of young, talented players throughout the lineup. Gardner is also likely to return, giving the Blades one of the best goalies in the league, and he will help mentor up-and-coming star Ryley Budd. The 2025-26 season will have much higher expectations than 2024-25, but given what the Blades did last season, that shouldn’t be a problem for this team.
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