Saskatoon Blades
The Saskatoon Blades are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League, formerly the Western Canadian Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195-seat SaskTel Centre.
History
The Saskatoon Blades were founded in 1964 as part of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and transferred leagues in 1966–67 with the foundation of the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, which included the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The WCHL renamed itself the Western Hockey League in 1978 with the inclusion of some US based teams. Of the seven original WCHL franchises, the Blades are the only team to have never relocated or left the league. Players ages range from 16 to 20 years of age, many of them still attending high school, and most come from other parts of Canada, the United States and Europe, to develop into potential professional National Hockey League prospects.The Blades spent a number of seasons at the original Saskatoon Arena and there, developed many of the top professional players and coaches of their day, such as Bernie Federko, Wendel Clark, Mike Babcock and Brayden Schenn. In the early 1990s, the team was one of the strongest in the league and made it to the league finals twice, losing to the Kamloops Blazers in both 1992 and 1994. The Blades have not returned to the final round of the playoffs since despite several successful regular seasons, including winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy in 2010–11 as the regular season champions. Since then playoff success has been rare, and as of 2016 the Blades have the longest playoff drought in the CHL, having not made the playoffs since 2013. The Blades also hold the dubious distinction of having the longest championship drought in the Canadian Hockey League, having never won the WHL Championship or Memorial Cup in their entire history.
The Blades were owned by the Brodsky family for 37 years
On August 27, 2013, the team was sold to Go Auto owner Mike Priestner for a reported $9 million. Throughout their existence the team has had a fierce rivalry with the Prince Albert Raiders, although recently the team has placed more of a focus on its growing competition with Regina Pats.
Before the start of the 2005–06 season, the Blades retired their long-time mascot Helmutt, an anthropomorphic dog whose name was a pun on the word helmet, in favor of a mascot that would appeal to younger fans. Helmutt was replaced by Poke Check, a yeti, at the Blades home opener that season. He has since remained the team's mascot, and also appears at community events throughout Saskatoon. Just before the 2017–18 season, the team brought back the "Pac-Man" logo and jersey with the gold and royal blue colours due to popular demand and the simple retro look.
Memorial Cup
The Saskatoon Blades have hosted the Memorial Cup twice in their existence. The first came in 1989, a year after the team began playing at Saskatchewan Place. As the host city they were allowed to play in the tournament independent of their season standing, and were joined in the competition by the WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos, OHL Champion Peterborough Petes and QMJHL Champion Laval Titan. In a surprising twist in the tournament the Blades finished first overall in the round robin with a 2–1 record, including a 5–4 victory over the Broncos, who had a 14-game undefeated streak dating back to the start of the WHL playoffs. Despite their unexpected strong performance and an automatic berth in the Cup Final, the Blades ultimately lost to the Broncos in overtime.The Blades would again host the Memorial Cup in 2013, which included the Portland Winterhawks, London Knights and the eventual champion Halifax Mooseheads. The Blades finished the round robin with a 1–2 record, and lost to the Knights in the tiebreaker. The Blades' goaltender, Andrey Makarov, won the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the outstanding goalie of the tournament.
Highlights
The Blades have the distinction as one of the longest running teams in Major Junior Hockey never to have won the league championship.In the 2008–09 season, the Saskatoon Blades made history by tying a WHL record for most road wins in a single season with the 1999–00 Calgary Hitmen. In that season, the Blades went on to win their first East Division Championship since 1994.
With a 5–3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings on March 9, 2011, the Blades clinched first place in the Western Hockey League and earned themselves the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL's champion with the most points earned during the regular season. However, they lost out in the second round of the WHL playoffs.
During the 2012–13 season, the Blades broke a team record by winning 18 consecutive games from late January until early March.
NHL alumni
Bernie Federko is the only former Blade in the Hockey Hall of Fame.Retired numbers
- 7 – Gerry Pinder
- 7 – Brent Ashton
- 10 – Brian Skrudland
- 12 – Bob Bourne
- 22 – Wendel Clark
- 15 – Bernie Federko
Coaches
- Burns McDonald – 1964–65
- George Agar – 1964–70
- George Senick – 1969–70*
- Jackie McLeod – 1970–79
- Jerry Engele – 1979–80
- Lorne Frey – 1980–81
- Daryl Lubiniecki – 1981–84
- Marcel Comeau – 1984–89
- Terry Ruskowski – 1989–91
- Bob Hoffmeyer – 1991*
- Lorne Molleken – 1991–95
- Donn Clark – 1995–98
- Willie Desjardins – 1998*
- Brad McCrimmon – 1998–2000
- Kevin Dickie – 2000–04
- Jamie Reeve – 2003–04*
- Lorne Molleken – 2004–13
- Dave Struch – 2013–14
- Bob Woods – 2014–16
- Dean Brockman – 2016–18
- Mitch Love – 2018–present
Current roster
Updated June 26, 2020.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| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1966–67 | 56 | 25 | 24 | 7 | – | 288 | 271 | 57 | 5th Overall | Lost quarter-final |
| 1967–68 | 60 | 20 | 31 | 9 | – | 260 | 362 | 49 | 7th Overall | Lost quarter-final |
| 1968–69 | 60 | 24 | 35 | 1 | – | 195 | 271 | 49 | 3rd West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1969–70 | 60 | 18 | 41 | 1 | – | 202 | 282 | 37 | 4th West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1970–71 | 66 | 29 | 36 | 1 | – | 295 | 299 | 59 | 3rd West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1971–72 | 68 | 37 | 28 | 3 | – | 312 | 258 | 77 | 2nd East | Lost quarter-final |
| 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 quarter-final |
| 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 | Out of playoffs |
| 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 | Out of playoffs |
| 1980–81 | 72 | 22 | 47 | 3 | – | 297 | 427 | 47 | 8th East | Out of playoffs |
| 1981–82 | 72 | 44 | 26 | 2 | – | 450 | 343 | 90 | 3rd East | Lost East Division quarter-final |
| 1982–83 | 72 | 52 | 19 | 1 | – | 467 | 303 | 105 | 1st East | Lost East Division semi-final |
| 1983–84 | 72 | 36 | 36 | 0 | – | 347 | 350 | 72 | 7th East | Out of playoffs |
| 1984–85 | 72 | 29 | 41 | 2 | – | 309 | 378 | 60 | 6th East | Lost East Division quarter-final |
| 1985–86 | 72 | 38 | 28 | 6 | – | 381 | 360 | 82 | 4th East | Lost East Division semi-final |
| 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 semi-final |
| 1990–91 | 72 | 29 | 41 | 2 | – | 309 | 363 | 60 | 7th East | Out of playoffs |
| 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 semi-final |
| 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 semi-final |
| 1995–96 | 72 | 29 | 42 | 1 | – | 314 | 351 | 59 | 4th East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 1996–97 | 72 | 18 | 48 | 6 | – | 227 | 344 | 42 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 1997–98 | 72 | 25 | 39 | 8 | – | 263 | 327 | 58 | 4th East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 1998–99 | 72 | 16 | 49 | 7 | – | 184 | 291 | 39 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 1999–00 | 72 | 34 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 216 | 223 | 79 | 2nd East | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2000–01 | 72 | 19 | 43 | 5 | 5 | 193 | 265 | 48 | 5th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2001–02 | 72 | 27 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 216 | 257 | 62 | 4th East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2002–03 | 72 | 40 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 234 | 205 | 85 | 3rd East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2003–04 | 72 | 7 | 52 | 11 | 2 | 140 | 279 | 27 | 5th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2004–05 | 72 | 37 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 234 | 215 | 86 | 2nd East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 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 semi-final |
| 2006–07 | 72 | 27 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 174 | 231 | 58 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2007–08 | 72 | 29 | 34 | 3 | 6 | 182 | 229 | 67 | 5th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2008–09 | 72 | 49 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 283 | 195 | 103 | 1st East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2009–10 | 72 | 46 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 258 | 227 | 99 | 2nd East | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2010–11 | 72 | 56 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 310 | 213 | 115 | 1st East | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2011–12 | 72 | 40 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 268 | 250 | 83 | 2nd East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2012–13 | 72 | 44 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 280 | 221 | 94 | 1st East | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final; Lost Memorial Cup tie-breaker game |
| 2013–14 | 72 | 16 | 51 | 2 | 3 | 207 | 317 | 37 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2014–15 | 72 | 19 | 49 | 2 | 2 | 195 | 308 | 42 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2015–16 | 72 | 26 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 219 | 318 | 56 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2016–17 | 72 | 28 | 35 | 7 | 2 | 190 | 248 | 65 | 5th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2017–18 | 72 | 35 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 237 | 276 | 74 | 6th East | Out of playoffs |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 45 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 259 | 190 | 98 | 2nd East | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2019–20 | 63 | 34 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 211 | 197 | 73 | 4th East | Cancelled |
WHL Championship history
- 1972–73: Loss, 2–0–3 vs Medicine Hat
- 1974–75: Loss, 3–4 vs New Westminster
- 1975–76: Loss, 1–2–4 vs New Westminster
- 1991–92: Loss, 3–4 vs Kamloops
- 1993–94: Loss, 3–4 vs Kamloops
Team records