Saskatoon Blades
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Saskatoon Blades
City	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
League	Western Hockey League
Conference	Eastern
Division	East
Founded	1964–65
Home arena	Credit Union Centre
Colours	navy blue, royal blue, silver and white
General manager	Lorne Molleken
Head coach	Lorne Molleken

The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 11,310 seat Credit Union Centre.

Division titles won (regular season): 6 – 1972–73, 74–75, 75–76, 82–83, 87–88, 93–94

Conference titles won (playoffs): 2 (1991–92, 1993–94)

President's Cup Titles: 0

Memorial Cup Titles: 0

History

The Saskatoon Blades were originally founded in 1964 as a team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and transferred leagues in 1966–67 with the foundation of the Western Hockey League. They are the only team remaining in the league from the WHL's foundation still in their original city (the Regina Pats are also still around, but they dropped out of the WHL for a few seasons early on to go back to the SJHL). The Blades spent many seasons at the old Saskatoon Arena where they built up a strong fanbase and developed many top players. In 1988, they moved to Saskatchewan Place and hosted the Memorial Cup tournament in May, 1989, where they finished the round robin undefeated. However, the Blades lost in overtime in the Memorial Cup Final to the Swift Current Broncos. They also lost in the WHL league finals in 1992 and 1994 to the Kamloops Blazers in seven games. The Blades have never won the WHL Championship, and currently have the longest championship drought in the Canadian Hockey League.

The Blades are currently owned by the Brodsky Family. They have been a huge success at the gate. Throughout their existence, the team has had a fierce rivalry with both the Regina Pats and the Prince Albert Raiders. As many of the players are still in their mid-teens, Marion M. Graham Collegiate plays host to many of the players, due to the short distance.

Players

Current Roster

Goaltenders
#		Player	Born	Place of Birth	Drafted
1		Braden Holtby	1989	Marshall, Saskatchewan	WAS - 4th round, 93rd overall - 2008
30		Adam Morrison	1991	Surrey, British Columbia	Eligible 2009

Defencemen
#		Player	Born	Place of Birth	Drafted
3		Sam Klassen	1989	Watrous, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2008
4		Teigan Zahn	1990	Bethune, Saskatchewan	CHI - 5th round, 132nd overall - 2008
6		Stefan Elliott	1991	North Vancouver, British Columbia	Eligible 2009
8		Jyri Niemi	1990	Hämeenkyrö, Finland	NYI - 3rd round, 72nd overall - 2008
27		Ryan Funk	1989	Morden, Manitoba	Eligible 2009
474		Colin Joe	1988	Edmonton, Alberta	Free Agent
55		Brendon Wall	1990	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2009

Forwards
#		Player	Position	Born	Place of Birth	Drafted
9		Curtis Hamilton	LW	1991	Kelowna, British Columbia	Eligible 2010
11		Chris Langkow	C	1989	Vegreville, Alberta	Eligible 2010
16		Mike Reich	C	1988	Craik, Saskatchewan	Free Agent
17		Derek Hulak C	LW	1989	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2009
19		Milan Kytnar	C	1989	Topolcany, Slovakia	EDM - 5rd round, 127th overall - 2007
20		Josh Nichols	C	1992	Tsawwassen, British Columbia	Eligible 2011
21		Brody Sutter	RW	1991	Calgary, Alberta	Eligible 2011
24		Walker Wintoneak	RW	1989	Flin Flon, Manitoba	Eligible 2009
25		Burke Gallimore	RW	1991	Edmonton, Alberta	Eligible 2009
26		Darian Dziurzynski	LW	1991	Lloydminster, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2009
32		Gaelan Patterson	LW	1990	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2008
37		Travis Toomey	C	1990	Leduc, Alberta	Eligible 2008
39		Cody Chikie	C	1991	St. Albert, Alberta	Eligible 2010
41		Charles Inglis	C	1992	Winnipeg, Manitoba	Eligible 2010
44		Adam Chorneyko	LW	1988	Leduc, Alberta	Free Agent

NHL Alumni

Bernie Federko is the only former Blade in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Retired Numbers

• 7 Brent Ashton
• 10 Brian Skrudland
• 15 Bob Bourne
• 22 Wendel Clark
• 24 Bernie Federko

Coaches

Saskatoon Blades Original Logo

• Burns McDonald 1964–65
• George Agar 1964–65 to 1969–70
• George Senick 1969–70*
• Jackie McLeod 1970–71 to 1978–79
• Jerry Engele 1979–80
• Lorne Frey 1980–81
• Daryl Lubiniecki 1981–82 to 1983–84
• Marcel Comeau 1984–85 to 1988–89
• Terry Ruskowski 1989–90 to 1990–91
• Lorne Molleken - 1991–92 to 1994–95
• Donn Clark - 1995–96 to 1997–98
• Willie Desjardins - 1998*
• Brad McCrimmon - 1998–99 to 1999–2000
• Kevin Dickie - 2000–01 to 2003–04
• Jamie Reeve - 2003–04*
• Lorne Molleken - 2004–05 to present

*interm (regular head coach fired, sick or suspended)

Season-by-season Record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Team records

See also

• List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan

External links

• Blades official web site
• Saskatoon Blades News Coverage (The Star Phoenix)

v • d • e Sports teams based in Saskatchewan Baseball WMBL: Melville Millionaires · Moose Jaw Express · Regina Red Sox · Saskatoon Yellow Jackets · Swift Current Indians · Weyburn Beavers · Yorkton Cardinals Football CFL: Saskatchewan Roughriders, CJFL: Regina Thunder · Saskatoon Hilltops Hockey WHL: Moose Jaw Warriors · Prince Albert Raiders · Regina Pats · Saskatoon Blades · Swift Current Broncos, AJHL: Lloydminster Bobcats, SJHL: Battlefords North Stars · Estevan Bruins · Flin Flon Bombers · Humboldt Broncos · Kindersley Klippers · La Ronge Ice Wolves · Melfort Mustangs · Melville Millionaires · Nipawin Hawks · Notre Dame Hounds · Weyburn Red Wings · Yorkton Terriers, WWHL: Saskatchewan Prairie Ice Soccer CMISL: Saskatoon Accelerators Lacrosse RMLL: Saskatchewan SWAT · Southern Saskatchewan Stealth Rugby union RCSL: Saskatchewan Prairie Fire, NWL: Saskatchewan Rugby Union Ringette NRL: Saskatoon Wild Canadian Interuniversity Sport University Of Regina Cougars, University Of Regina Rams (football), University Of Saskatchewan Huskies