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Saskatoon Blades
PacMan Logo W Text
City: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
League: Western Hockey League
Conference: Eastern
Division: East
Founded: 1964
Home Arena: SaskTel Centre
Colours: Royal blue, gold and white
                   
Head Coach: Mitch Love
General Manager: Colin Priestner

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 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.

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 what was then known as Saskatchewan Place (now Credit Union Centre) and hosted the Memorial Cup tournament in May, 1989, where they finished the round robin with a 5–4 victory over the Swift Current Broncos who had a 14 game undefeated streak, which consisted of sweeping through the WHL playoffs and winning their 1st two round robin games. However, the Blades lost in overtime in the Memorial Cup Final to the 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 Ed Chynoweth Cup, and currently have the longest championship drought in the Canadian Hockey League.

The Blades are currently owned by the Priestner 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.

In the 2008–09 Season, the Saskatoon Blades made history by tying a WHL record for most road wins in a single season (28) with the 1999–00 Calgary Hitmen. In that season, the Blades went on to win their first East Division Championship since 1994.

Simmons SaskBlades

December 2010: Gene Simmons of KISS fame makes a save during a shootout with cowboys between periods of a WHL game between the Saskatoon Blades and Portland Winterhawks.


NHL alumni[]

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

Retired numbers[]

Coaches[]

Saskbladesold

Saskatoon Blades Original Logo

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

Season-by-season record[]

previous logo
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 81 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 WHL 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 WHL 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 Finals
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 Finals
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 Finals
2009–10 72 46 19 1 3 258 227 99 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference Semi Finals
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-finals
2019–20 63 34 24 2 3 211 197 73 4th East Playoffs cancelled
2020-21 24 16 5 2 1 80 62 35 3rd Hub Playoffs cancelled

Team records[]

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 115 2010-11
Most wins 56 2010-11
Most road wins (Tied WHL record) 28 2008–09
Most home wins 32 2010-11
Most goals for 461 1982–83
Least goals for 140 2003–04
Least goals against 184 1972–73
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

References[]

External links[]

Western Hockey League
Current teams : Brandon Wheat Kings | Calgary Hitmen | Edmonton Oil Kings | Everett Silvertips | Kamloops Blazers | Kelowna Rockets | Kootenay Ice | Lethbridge Hurricanes | Medicine Hat Tigers | Moose Jaw Warriors | Portland Winterhawks | Prince Albert Raiders | Prince George Cougars | Red Deer Rebels | Regina Pats | Saskatoon Blades | Seattle Thunderbirds | Spokane Chiefs | Swift Current Broncos | Tri-City Americans | Vancouver Giants | Victoria Royals
CHL: Memorial Cup | Ed Chynoweth Cup | WHL seasons | WHL history | Awards | OHL | QMJHL
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