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Saskatoon Blades
Saskatoon Blades logo.svg
City Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
League Western Hockey League
Conference Eastern
Division East
Founded 1964
Home arena SaskTel Centre
Colours Royal blue, gold, white
              
Owner(s) Mike Priestner
General manager Colin Priestner
Head coach Dan DaSilva
Website chl.ca/whl-blades/
Franchise history
1964–1966 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
1966–present Western Hockey League
Championships
Regular season titles 5 (1972–73, 1982–83, 1987–88, 2010–11, 2023–24)
Playoff championships Division titles 2 (1991–92, 1993–94)
Ed Chynoweth Cup 0
Current uniform
WHL-Uniform-SSK.png

The Saskatoon Blades are a Canadian junior ice hockey team. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The team started in 1964. The Blades were one of the first teams in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1966. They are the only team that has played every season in the league in their original city. Today, the team plays in the East Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Their home games are at the SaskTel Centre.

The Blades have won five regular season titles. They have also reached the championship series five times. However, they have never won the Ed Chynoweth Cup, which is the league playoff championship. The team has hosted the Memorial Cup tournament twice, in 1989 and 2013.

Team History

How the Blades Started

The Blades began in 1964. They were part of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Before that, they were known as the Saskatoon Junior Quakers. The team's owner, Jim Piggott, wanted the Blades to be a junior team for his professional Los Angeles Blades.

Piggott helped create a new major junior league for Western Canada. This league aimed to compete for the Memorial Cup. In 1966, the Blades became one of seven founding teams. This new league changed its name several times. It became the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1967. Then it was the Western Canada Hockey League in 1968. Finally, it became the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1978. The Blades are the only team to have played every WHL season in the same city.

The Jackie McLeod Years

In the 1970s, the Blades hired Jackie McLeod. He was a former National Hockey League (NHL) player. McLeod became their coach and general manager. He also became a part-owner of the team. Under McLeod, the Blades became a strong team. They had star players like Bernie Federko and Bob Bourne.

The Blades finished with the best record in the league in 1972–73. They reached the league final for the first time. However, they lost to the Medicine Hat Tigers. They also made it to the finals in 1974–75 and 1975–76. Both times, they lost to the New Westminster Bruins.

Under the Brodsky Family

The Brodsky family owned the team from 1980 to 2013. During this time, many future NHL players joined the Blades. These included Wendel Clark and Brian Skrudland. Even with these talented players, the Blades still did not win a league championship.

The team had the best record in the league in 1982–83 and 1987–88. But they did not make it to the finals in those seasons. A big moment in the 1980s was the opening of the new Saskatchewan Place arena in 1988. The Blades also hosted the 1989 Memorial Cup there. In that tournament, the Blades lost the final game in overtime.

The Blades reached the championship series twice in the early 1990s. Both times, they played against the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers won both times. After 1994, the Blades did not get past the second round of the WHL playoffs for almost 30 years. They also missed the playoffs more often.

Lorne Molleken returned to coach the Blades in 2004. He also became general manager in 2011. The Blades won another regular season title in 2010–11. They also hosted their second Memorial Cup tournament in 2013. The team had a great winning streak before the playoffs. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs. They only won one game at the Memorial Cup.

New Ownership and Recent Success

In 2013, the Brodsky family sold the team to Mike Priestner. His son, Colin Priestner, became the general manager. The team struggled for a few years after this. They missed the playoffs for five seasons in a row.

In 2019, led by Kirby Dach, the Blades returned to the playoffs. They won their first playoff series since 2011. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the next two seasons. In 2022–23, the Blades had their first 100-point season since 2011. They also had their deepest playoff run since 1994. They beat the Regina Pats in a thrilling seven-game series. They also made an amazing comeback against the Red Deer Rebels. The Blades won that series after being down 3–0. Their playoff run ended in the third round against the Winnipeg Ice.

In 2023–24, the Blades won their fifth Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy. This award is for the best regular season record. They reached 50 wins for the third time in team history. They made it to the third round of the playoffs again. They lost a close seven-game series to the Moose Jaw Warriors. That series had a WHL record six overtime games. The Blades also played their 4,000th game in the WHL that season.

Memorial Cup Appearances

The Blades have never won the WHL championship. This means they have never won the right to compete for the Memorial Cup. However, they have hosted the Memorial Cup tournament twice. This allowed them to participate.

In 1989, the Blades played in the final. They lost to the Swift Current Broncos in overtime. This was the first Memorial Cup final between two teams from the WHL.

In 2013, the Blades finished with one win and two losses. They did not make it to the semi-final. The Halifax Mooseheads won the Memorial Cup that year.

Team Rivalries

The Blades have strong rivalries with the Regina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders. These teams are the closest to Saskatoon. They have played the Pats seven times in the playoffs. They have faced the Raiders eight times. Other rivals include the Swift Current Broncos and the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Team Look: Logo and Jerseys

BraydenSchennBlades
Brayden Schenn in 2011, wearing an older style jersey.

For most of their history, the Blades have worn royal blue, gold, and white jerseys. Their main logo has been a skate blade design. Fans often call it the "Pac-Man" logo. In 1993, they changed their main logo. In 2004, they removed yellow from their colors. They used navy blue and white with a new skate logo. In 2017, the Blades brought back their classic colors and logo.

The Blades often wear special jerseys for different events. For example, they wore Star Wars-themed jerseys in 2015. In 2018, they wore a special jersey to honor the Humboldt Broncos after a tragic bus crash. In 2022, they wore their first Pride-themed jerseys.

The Blades' mascot is a yeti named Poke Check.

Season Records

This table shows how the Blades have performed each season.

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1966–67 56 25 24 7 – 288 271 57 5th Overall Lost quarterfinal
1967–68 60 20 31 9 – 260 362 49 7th Overall Lost quarterfinal
1968–69 60 24 35 1 – 195 271 49 3rd West Lost quarterfinal
1969–70 60 18 41 1 – 202 282 37 4th West Lost quarterfinal
1970–71 66 29 36 1 – 295 299 59 3rd West Lost quarterfinal
1971–72 68 37 28 3 – 312 258 77 2nd East Lost quarterfinal
1972–73 68 46 11 11 – 323 184 103 1st East Lost final
1973–74 68 30 29 9 – 283 272 69 4th East Lost quarterfinal
1974–75 70 38 22 10 – 344 244 86 1st East Lost final
1975–76 72 43 19 10 – 390 269 96 1st East Lost final
1976–77 72 30 30 12 – 317 290 72 2nd East Lost preliminary round
1977–78 72 20 50 2 – 340 460 42 4th East Did not qualify
1978–79 72 26 32 14 – 385 398 66 2nd East Lost East Division final
1979–80 72 27 40 5 – 331 382 59 7th East Did not qualify
1980–81 72 22 47 3 – 297 427 47 8th East Did not qualify
1981–82 72 44 26 2 – 450 343 90 3rd East Lost East Division quarterfinal
1982–83 72 52 19 1 – 467 303 105 1st East Lost East Division semifinal
1983–84 72 36 36 0 – 347 350 72 7th East Did not qualify
1984–85 72 29 41 2 – 309 378 60 6th East Lost East Division quarterfinal
1985–86 72 38 28 6 – 381 360 82 4th East Lost East Division semifinal
1986–87 72 44 26 2 – 369 282 90 2nd East Lost East Division final
1987–88 72 47 22 3 – 381 294 97 1st East Lost East Division final
1988–89 72 42 28 2 – 366 335 86 2nd East Lost East Division final; Lost Memorial Cup final
1989–90 72 33 34 5 – 325 354 71 4th East Lost East Division semifinal
1990–91 72 29 41 2 – 309 363 60 7th East Did not qualify
1991–92 72 38 29 5 – 315 260 81 3rd East Lost final
1992–93 72 42 27 3 – 311 236 87 3rd East Lost East Division semifinal
1993–94 72 49 22 1 – 326 229 99 1st East Lost final
1994–95 72 41 23 8 – 324 254 90 3rd East Lost East Division semifinal
1995–96 72 29 42 1 – 314 351 59 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1996–97 72 18 48 6 – 227 344 42 6th East Did not qualify
1997–98 72 25 39 8 – 263 327 58 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1998–99 72 16 49 7 – 184 291 39 6th East Did not qualify
1999–00 72 34 27 8 3 216 223 79 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2000–01 72 19 43 5 5 193 265 48 5th East Did not qualify
2001–02 72 27 37 5 3 216 257 62 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2002–03 72 40 27 5 0 234 205 85 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2003–04 72 7 52 11 2 140 279 27 5th East Did not qualify
2004–05 72 37 23 6 6 234 215 86 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005–06 72 41 25 2 4 232 217 88 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2006–07 72 27 41 2 2 174 231 58 6th East Did not qualify
2007–08 72 29 34 3 6 182 229 67 5th East Did not qualify
2008–09 72 49 18 3 2 283 195 103 1st East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2009–10 72 46 19 3 4 258 227 99 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2010–11 72 56 13 1 2 310 213 115 1st East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2011–12 72 40 29 1 2 268 250 83 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2012–13 72 44 22 2 4 280 221 94 1st East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2013–14 72 16 51 2 3 207 317 37 6th East Did not qualify
2014–15 72 19 49 2 2 195 308 42 6th East Did not qualify
2015–16 72 26 42 4 0 219 318 56 6th East Did not qualify
2016–17 72 28 35 7 2 190 248 65 5th East Did not qualify
2017–18 72 35 33 3 1 237 276 74 6th East Did not qualify
2018–19 68 45 15 8 0 259 190 98 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2019–20 63 34 24 2 3 211 197 73 4th East Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24 16 5 2 1 80 62 35 3rd East No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68 38 26 3 1 219 217 80 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2022–23 68 48 15 4 1 257 171 101 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference final
2023–24 68 50 13 2 3 255 163 105 1st East Lost Eastern Conference final
2024–25 68 37 23 4 4 235 218 82 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal

Championships and Awards

Team Championships

The Blades have won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy five times. This award is for the best regular season record in the WHL. They won it in 1972–73, 1982–83, 1987–88, 2010–11, and 2023–24.

They have also been Division Playoff Champions twice, in 1991–92 and 1993–94. The Blades have won their Regular Season Division ten times.

WHL Championship Finals

The Blades have reached the WHL Championship final five times, but have not won:

  • 1972–73: Lost to Medicine Hat Tigers
  • 1974–75: Lost to New Westminster Bruins
  • 1975–76: Lost to New Westminster Bruins
  • 1991–92: Lost to Kamloops Blazers
  • 1993–94: Lost to Kamloops Blazers

Memorial Cup Championship Final

Individual Player Awards

Many Blades players have won important awards:

  • Bob Clarke Trophy (WHL top scorer): Gerry Pinder (1966–67), Bernie Federko (1975–76), Mark Deyell (1995–96)
  • Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year): Gerry Pinder (1966–67), Bernie Federko (1975–76)
  • Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL rookie of the year): Ron Fairbrother (1967–68)
  • Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL top defenceman): George Pesut (1972–73), Pat Price (1973–74), Wendel Clark (1984–85), Richard Matvichuk (1991–92), Stefan Elliott (2010–11)
  • Del Wilson Trophy (WHL top goaltender): Ed Humphreys (1972–73), Bill Oleschuk (1974–75), Norm Maracle (1993–94)
  • Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (WHL coach of the year): Daryl Lubiniecki (1982–83), Marcel Comeau (1987–88), Lorne Molleken (1993–94), Brennan Sonne (2022–23)
  • Doc Seaman Trophy (WHL scholastic player of the year): Stefan Elliott (2008–09), Nelson Nogier (2013–14)
  • Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup top goaltender): Mike Greenlay (1989), Andrey Makarov (2013)

Coaches and Players

Current Hockey Staff

  • General Manager: Colin Priestner
  • Head Coach: Dan DaSilva
  • Assistant Coaches: TBA, Wacey Rabbit, Jerome Engele

Retired Numbers

Saskbladesold
Saskatoon Blades logo from 1983 to 1993.

The Blades have honored several players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will wear that number again.

# Player
7 Gerry Pinder / Brent Ashton
10 Brian Skrudland
12 Bob Bourne
15 Bernie Federko
22 Wendel Clark
39 Frank Banham
44 Chase Wouters

The Blades also have a banner honoring former captain Bruce Gordon.

Team Records

These tables show some of the best records for the Saskatoon Blades.

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 115 2010–11
Most wins 56 2010–11
Most road wins 28 2008–09
Most home wins 32 2010–11
Most goals for 461 1982–83
Fewest goals for 140 2003–04
Fewest goals against 163 2023–24
Most goals against 460 1977–78
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Frank Banham 83 1995–96
Most assists Bruce Eakin 125 1981–82
Most points Bernie Federko 187 1975–76
Most points, rookie Lane Lambert 114 1981–82
Most points, defenceman Pat Price 95 1973–74
Best GAA (goalie) Ed Humphreys 2.57 1972–73
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played
Career records
Statistic Player Total Career
Most goals Frank Banham 190 1992–1996
Most assists Paul Buczkowski 224 1990–1996
Most points Frank Banham 370 1992–1996
Most points, defenceman Stefan Elliott 241 2007–2011
Most games played Paul Buczkowski 337 1990–1996
Most wins (goalie) Nolan Maier 122 2017–2022
Most shutouts (goalie) Nolan Maier 12 2017–2022

Images for kids

  • SaskTel Centre 2023 Playoffs vs Regina - April 7th, 2023

    The Blades and Regina Pats facing off in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.

  • Blades vs Wariors 7 May 2024

    The Blades face-off against the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.

  • Egor Sidorov 2024.01.21

    Egor Sidorov warming up before a game in Edmonton.

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