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The Saskatoon Blades will open the new WHL season on the road Friday, when the team faces off against the Prince Albert Raiders.
After an early exit in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Blades made some improvements during the off-season, aiming to take things to the next level. Head coach Brennan Sonne said he likes the way the team has progressed.
“Over the summer I thought, ‘OK, we’re definitely going to take a step,’ ” Sonne said. “I definitely thought we’d take a step, and right now – I mean, I’m kind of going out on a limb to say this – but I think it’s getting closer to a bit of a leap.”
The players are backing that up, but they aren’t overthinking anything. Returning forward Trevor Wong said focus is essential, with the entire season still ahead.
“We have a great group of guys in here, and we have a great team. I think we’re just going to take it game by game and can’t get ahead of ourselves. Just staying poised and being patient and playing the way we can play, I think we can go far in the playoffs,” Wong said.
Blades captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere, who is returning from a shoulder surgery that ended his season early last year, said everyone on the team is looking forward to Friday’s game and the new season ahead.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “The vibe around here is awesome right now. Everyone is super excited to get the season going.”
During Friday’s game, both teams will be missing some players who are busy attending NHL training camps, including five players from the Blades like Josh Pillar (Minnesota Wild) and Conner Roulette (Dallas Stars).
Sonne said it’s always tricky to be missing players as it often means he has to juggle lines, but they’ll bring back valuable experience to the team.
But as much as optimism is in the air, Sonne said he knows the strength of the competition.
“I see us as a high-level team,” he said. “There are really good teams in this division. Just look around; how many NHL guys does Moose Jaw have? Winnipeg? (Conor) Geekie, (Matthew) Savoie, (Carson) Lambos. Those guys didn’t go anywhere. Regina has (Connor) Bedard.”
Sonne said Prince Albert is a tough team with devoted fans, and he expects Friday’s game to be a grind.
“Anytime you play against P.A., it’s like a rivalry,” Sonne said.
“It’s going to be a hard game. That’s what I’m expecting. I’m expecting kind of a mean, nasty, in-the-trenches type game.”
Puck drop for the season opener is set for 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert. The Blades’ home opener is on Saturday at SaskTel Centre.
