Top five Blades moments from 2024
When looking back on the year that was for the Saskatoon Blades, it’s near impossible to pick five of the club’s best moments. 2024 was filled with plenty of highlight reel goals, impressive milestones, record attendances, and action not ever seen before in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
As the Blades prepare to enter 2025 as one of the Eastern Conference’s top clubs, let’s reminisce on one of the most exciting years in franchise history for the Bridge City Bunch.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
- Undefeated home regulation streak (March 8 – December 15)
- Tanner Molendyk and David Lewandowski named to Team Canada for 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship
- Fraser Minten’s overtime winner against the Swift Current Broncos on January 28 at SaskTel Centre
- Blades capture fifth Scott Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s top regular season team with a 50-13-2-3 record
- Type 1 diabetics Zach Olsen and Evan Gardner make an impact on Diabetes Awareness Night on November 29 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Olsen scored a goal while Gardner picked up a win with a 30-save performance in the 4-1 victory
- Anytime we beat Prince Albert
5 – Frank Banham Jersey Retirement
It’s only fitting the Blades immortalized one of their greatest players in franchise history during one of their most successful campaigns ever.
The organization sent former forward Frank Banham’s number 39 to the rafters at SaskTel Centre on March 9 against the Edmonton Oil Kings. Nostalgia for countless 1990s Blades fans kicked in as Banham made his longed return to Saskatoon for a special pre-game ceremony. Flanking him were countless family and former teammates during his tenure with the Blades, such as linemates Mark Deyell and Clarke Wilm. Tributes poured in from friends and teammates during Banham’s 20-year pro career, including messages from legends such as Teemu Selane.
The Calahoo, AB product played for the Blades for four seasons between 1992-96 and finished his 278-game career with 190 goals and 370 points, both the most in franchise history 28 years later. Banham’s best season was in 1995-96, scoring a franchise record 83 goals 72 games, finishing with a total of 152 points in his senior season.
As fans paid tribute to Banham off the ice, the Blades made sure the legend’s return to Saskatoon was worth the price of admission. The Blades and Oil Kings went to overtime tied 1-1, requiring another one of the organization’s top goal scorers of all time to secure the win.
Saskatoon’s ninth overall pick of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Brandon Lisowsky, sealed the game in overtime with a penalty shot goal. It was the perfect ending to a monumental night at SaskTel Centre. Fast forward to December 31, Lisowsky has become one of the best goal scorers in franchise history. The Port Coquitlam, BC product is fifth all-time with 143 goals in 255 career games.
4 – 13,004 fans for Fan Appreciation Night
The Blades welcomed the Prince Albert Raiders to SaskTel Centre for Fan Appreciation Night on March 23. After three sellouts of 14,768 the year prior against Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats, the Blades set their highest ever regular season attendance without Bedard as 13,004 fans filled the arena for the regular season finale.
Prizes, games, and action against the Blades’ biggest rival were some of the ways the spotlight was put on the best fans in the WHL. To top it off, the Blades defeated the Raiders 5-0 to set the tone for their first round best-of-seven playoff matchup, which the Blades won in five games.
The Blades also celebrated their three overage players Trevor Wong, Charlie Wright, and Easton Armstrong. General manager Colin Priestner and associate general manager Steve Hildebrand presented each player with a special painting to reflect their WHL career. A night filled with celebration, the excitement was yet to come in one of the craziest playoff runs in Blades history.
3 – Evan Gardner drafted to the Columbus Blue Jackets
Blades goalie Evan Gardner became the newest member of the Columbus Blue Jackets organization in June. The 2006-born netminder was selected in the second round (60th overall) at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Las Vegas, NV.
Gardner’s journey to becoming a high pick at the NHL level wasn’t easy. The Fort St. John, BC product was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 11 years old. With reassurance from nurses and inspiration from type 1 diabetic NHL player Max Domi, Gardner remained one of the top players in his age group growing up. The Blades selected Gardner in the third-round (53rd overall) in the 2021 WHL Prospect Draft.
Screw diabetes… Evan Gardner is a second round NHL draft pick! So proud of this young man! pic.twitter.com/g0AHKcHww7
— Colin Priestner (@colinpriestner) June 29, 2024
The 6-foot-2 netminder didn’t just have one of the best rookie goaltender seasons in franchise history, but one of the best seasons by any Blades goalie ever. Gardner finished the 2023-24 campaign 21-5-0-2, leading the Western Hockey League (WHL) in save percentage (.927) and goals-against average (1.91), both single-season franchise records for any Blades goalie with a minimum of 30 games played. The 18-year-old’s four shutouts were tied for second in the league alongside tandem partner Austin Elliott. Gardner’s play helped Saskatoon capture their fifth Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, awarded to the WHL’s top regular season team. The Fort St. John, BC native was named a finalist for WHL Rookie of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year, named two-time WHL Goalie of the Week, three-time WHL Rookie of the week, and guarded the crease on the Blades’ run to Game 7 overtime of the Eastern Conference Final.
Gardner’s picked up where he left off this season with a 14-7-2-0 record. Gardner’s .910 save percentage (SV%) and goals against average (GAA) are top five amongst WHL netminders. His play in November also earned him WHL Goalie of the Month.
Evan Gardner becomes the highest selected goalie in Blades history in the NHL Entry Draft
DETAILS 📰 | https://t.co/OcXLjDYM7R pic.twitter.com/GzF3GOWNwN
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) June 29, 2024
2 – Egor Sidorov’s 50th goal and Trevor Wong’s 100th point
No Blade had reached 50 goals or 100 points in a season since 1995-96. Former Blades captain Trevor Wong and Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov not only ended that drought, but did it together on the same night.
Wong entered Fan Appreciation Night with 99 points. The three-year Blade buried his 15th goal of the season six seconds into the third period on the powerplay to hit triple digits. In an iconic celebration, SaskTel Centre erupted as Wong opened his arms and looked up to the ceiling in celebration. Wong finished the night with an assist to go along with it, giving him 15 goals and 86 assists in 68 games his final year.
The Raiders surrendered one milestone to a Blade player and were doing everything in their power to avoid another,. Goalie Max Hildebrand did whatever he could to stop Sidorov’s barrage of shots, while Raider players dived in front of everything he put towards the net to avoid letting him hit 50 goals. Finally, on Sidorov’s ninth shot of the game, the Belarusian sniper beat Hildebrand with 34 seconds left in the regular season to go to blow the roof off SaskTel Centre.
Sidorov jumped and celebrated across the 200-foot ice surface and was mauled by all his teammates as the Blades made it 5-0. Sidorov finished the season with 50 goals and 88 points in 66 games.
Both men played on the other’s line for three seasons and connected on so many goals during that time. it was a heartfelt moment for both men to reach their milestone on the same night, and they were just heating up for what was yet to come.
The outcome of the series may still sting in the hearts of many Blades fans. The Blades lost to the Moose Jaw Warriors in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, ending their incredible season. Despite this, there’s no denying that fans got to witness the best playoff series the WHL has ever seen.
The Blue and Gold had home ice advantage going into Game 1 and used it early in the contest. Veteran defenceman Charlie Wright and Sidorov put the Blades out in front 2-0 just under 22 minutes into the game. A confident Moose Jaw squad, fresh off a five-game series win in Round 2 against the Broncos, clawed back and took a 3-2 lead with 4:52 remaining in regulation. Sidorov tied the game 3-3 with 1:27 left on the clock. Overtime was need, a common theme throughout the series. Local product Brayden Yager ultimately scored the game-winner for Moose Jaw in overtime to give his club a 1-0 series lead. Game 1 was a glimpse into what fans could expect in a seven-game war between the two titans.
After going down 2-0 in the first period of Game 2, the Blades responded with two unanswered goals in the middle frame to tie the game. Neither side found the back of the net in the third, forcing a second consecutive overtime at SaskTel Centre. Facing the threat of trailing 2-0 in the series headed to enemy territory, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten sent a jolt through SaskTel Centre scoring the overtime winner with 6:54 remaining in the first overtime. It wasn’t the only time the 19-year-old centre came through for the Blue and Gold when they needed him most in the series.
FRASER MINTEN IS THE OVERTIME HERO IN GAME 2!!!!!!@MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/Bu2BupHQeP
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 28, 2024
Game 3 was the only battle in the series that didn’t go beyond 60 minutes. Despite Blades defenceman Grayden Siepmann scoring the opening goal of the game, the Warriors scored three unanswered goals at the Moose Jaw Events Centre to walk away with a 3-1 win. Warriors goalie Jackson Unger stopped 31 of 32 Saskatoon shots to give his team a 2-1 lead in the series.
With their backs against the wall in the series, Saskatoon shot out of a cannon in Game 4 with goals from Lisowsky, Wong, forward Alexander Suzdalev, and defenceman Tanner Molendyk in the first period to head to intermission up 4-2. The Warriors didn’t go away as they potted a pair in the second to make it 4-4. Another game saw a scoreless third period, forcing overtime before the series shifted back to Saskatoon for Game 5.
It took 2:39 for Sidorov to tie the series 2-2 with his 13th goal of the postseason. The best-of-seven drama was now a best-of-three, with the Blades heading back to home ice where they had yet to be defeated in regulation during the postseason.
THE SHOT🔥
THE CELEBRATION🔥🔥
EGOR SIDOROV COMES UP CLUTCH AGAIN WITH HIS FOURTH GAME-WINNER OF THE #WHLPlayoffs @AnaheimDucks | @BladesHockey | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/iG7fQapIfC
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 2, 2024
The Blades rode that momentum early in Game 5 to score the first four goals of the evening in front of 11,000+ at SaskTel Centre. It looked as if Saskatoon might cruise to a comfortable win against their Saskatchewan counterpart, but the Warriors showed why they got to the conference final as well. Moose Jaw scored four unanswered goals within the first 14 minutes of the third period to make it a 4-4 game. All of a sudden, the Blue and Gold were on the verge of a monumental collapse.
Back-and-forth action throughout overtime ended with 1:45 left on the clock as Minten called game with his second goal of the night.
Fraser Minten with the absolutely clutch OT winner
Want to borrow him tomorrow night, @MapleLeafs? 😉 pic.twitter.com/AHnYDblm1I
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) May 4, 2024
Game 6 shifted to Moose Jaw. The Blades found themselves down 2-1 after the first period with two goals from Warriors forward Brayden Schuurman and Sidorov for the Blades. Local kid and current Blades alternate captain Rowan Calvert tied the game 2-2 on the powerplay with 4:14 remaining in the second period. The stage was set for a huge third period. Would the Blades move on to their first WHL final appearance since 1994, or would the Warriors force Game 7 back at SaskTel Centre?
Blades alternate Wright gave Saskatoon a 3-2 lead 3:00 into the third. As the series showed though, the Warriors were not ready to lie down. Forward Rilen Kovacevic scored his fourth of the postseason just over halfway through the final frame, teeing up another overtime in the Eastern Conference Finals. Less than three minutes in, then rookie forward Lynden Lakovic won the game for Moose Jaw, setting up Game 7 at SaskTel Centre as both teams would play for a chance to win their first Ed Chynoweth Trophy.
Game 7 was filled with every emotion for Blade City. Anxiousness filled the arena as Warriors forward Ethan Semeniuk put Moose Jaw up 1-0 in the first period. Excitement followed in the second period as Blades forward Easton Armstrong tied the game just over halfway through the contest. Fear kicked in as Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus made it 2-1 Moose Jaw with under half a period remaining in the third.
As time dwindled down, every shift become more important. Fans looked for Sidorov, Minten, Wong, Lisowsky to get the equalizer and keep the run alive. That goal did come in the form of Rosetown, SK’s own Vaughn Watterodt with 3:07 left in regulation to the roar of SaskTel Centre. For the sixth time out of seven games in the series, overtime was needed.
The final emotion Blades fans felt was heartbreak. 36 seconds into the extra frame, Lakovic scored his second consecutive game-winner to punch Moose Jaw’s ticket to the WHL Final. The result wasn’t Blades fans hoped for, but there is no denying those in Saskatoon witness the most exciting series that’s ever graced junior hockey in Canada.
