Canada West Final featuring eight former Blades

Canada West Final featuring eight former Blades

It’s not a Saskatoon Blades alumni game, but the Blue and Gold will be well represented in the upcoming Canada West Final for University Men’s Hockey.

The University of Saskatchewan (UofS) Men’s Hockey Team host the Mount Royal University (MRU) Cougars Men’s Hockey Team in a best-of-three Canada West Final starting Friday, March 7 at Merlis Belsher Place. The Huskies roster former Blades Trevor Wong (F), Josh Pillar (F), Rhett Rhinehart (D), and Ethan Chadwick (G), while MRU boast Vaughn Watterodt (F), Jayden Wiens (F), Justin Lies (F), and Blake Stevenson (F).

UofS Huskies Men’s Hockey

Trevor Wong‘s in his first season with the Huskies after a five-year Western Hockey League (WHL) career. In his rookie season with the UofS, Wong finished sixth in team-scoring with four goals and 24 points in 35 games. The Vancouver, BC native was originally drafted 18th overall by the Kelowna Rockets in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft. Prior to the 2021-22 season, the Blades traded for the elite playmaker in exchange for Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colten Dach. Wong scored 229 points (59G ,170A) in 186 games with Saskatoon and 260 (72G, 188A) in 265 career games. The 5-foot-9 centre’s best season came in 2023-24, where he was named the 62nd captain in franchise history for his final junior year. Wong became the first Blade since 1996 to crack 100 points in a single season, scoring 15 goals and 86 assists in 68 games. All 39 of Wong’s WHL playoff games were with Saskatoon, scoring 11 goals and 34 assists across three runs, including back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances in 2023 and 2024.

Alongside Wong for the first Eastern Conference Final appearance was Huskies forward Josh Pillar. The right-handed shot has 12 goals and 26 assists in 44 games across two seasons with the UofS. The Warman, SK native was drafted by the Kamloops Blazers 14th overall in the 2017 WHL Prospects Draft. Pillar registered 52 goals and 97 assists for 149 points in 229 games across five seasons. Following 29 points (11G, 18A) in 22 games during the COVID-19 bubble season, Pillar was drafted in the fourth round (127th overall) by the Minnesota Wild. The 6-foot winger was acquired by the Blades midway through the 2021-22 season, scoring nine goals and 14 assists in 45 career regular season games.

Ethan Chadwick was instrumental between the pipes on the Blades’ first trip to the Eastern Conference Final alongside Wong and Pillar. Drafted by his hometown team in the third round (47th overall) in 2019, the former Saskatoon Contact appeared in 46 regular season games with the Blades between 2021-2023. Chadwick went 5-3-1 during the Blades run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2023, one half of the dynamite tandem of him and Austin Elliott. Chadwick finished his WHL career in his 19-year-old season with the Everett Silvertips the following year before committing to the UofS.

Rhett Rhinehart, the oldest of the former Blades on the UofS, is in his third season with the Huskies. The man known as “Rhino” played in 261 career WHL games between the Prince Albert Raiders, Prince George Cougars, and Blades between 2017 and 2022. The 2001-born blueliner scored 23 goals and 67 assists across his career, 12 goals and 34 assists coming in 95 games with the Blades over three seasons.

 

MRU Cougars Men’s Hockey

Vaughn Watterodt committed to the Cougars midway through the 2024-25 season after the 20-year-old winger appeared in 26 games with the Victoria Royals. The 20-year-old winger became a fan-favourite during his two-and-a-half seasons with the Blades after he was acquired in December 2021 from the Kamloops Blazers. The Rosetown, SK native scored 32 goals and 41 assists in 173 games with the Blades. The man known as “Doof” had his best offensive season in 2022-23 when he scored 18 goals and 16 assists in 68 games. Watterodt was a part of both runs to the Eastern Conference Final, finishing with seven goals and 18 points in 39 career playoff games.

Jayden Wiens is in his first season with the Cougars, scoring nine goals and 14 assists in 26 games. The 5-foot-9 centre was the Blades’ eighth-round (155th overall) pick in the 2018 WHL draft. The Carrot River, SK native scored 44 goals and 39 assists for 83 points in 166 games with Saskatoon between the 2019-20 and 2022-23 season. Wiens potted eight goals and two assists in 18 games during the Blades’ 2023 Eastern Conference Final run. Wiens played his graduating WHL season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2023-24, scoring a career-high 25 goals and 44 points in 67 games.

Justin Lies is also in his first season with the Cougars. The Flin Flon, MB native played one season with the Blades in 2022-23, scoring a career-high nine goals and 14 assists in 56 games. The 6-foot-2 power forward was originally drafted by the Vancouver Giants in the third round (56th overall) in the 2018 WHL draft. Prior to his time with the Blades, Lies played 120 games with Vancouver across three seasons, scoring 12 goals and 18 assists. The right-handed shot played his 20-year-old season in 2023-24 for his hometown Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). Lies scored 41 goals and 35 assists in 55 games, helping the Bombers to the SJHL Final with 14 goals and five assists in 14 games. The Bombers lost the best-of-seven series to the Melfort Mustangs in six games

Blake Stevenson is in his third season with the Cougars. The Calgary, AB native’s lone season with the Blades came in the 2021 bubble season where he scored seven goals and seven assists in 21 games. Stevenson played 184 WHL games between 2017-18 to 2021-22, scoring 50 goals and 54 assists between the Blades, Tri-City Americans (who drafted Stevenson in the sixth round in 2018), Calgary Hitmen, and Red Deer Rebels.

Canada West Playoffs | Final Series

 

Saskatchewan Huskies vs Mount Royal Cougars

Game 1 – Friday, March 7, 2025 | 7:00 PM

Game 2 – Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 7:00 PM

Game 3 – Sunday, March 9, 2025 | 6:00 PM *if necessary*