Saskatoon Blades head coach Dan DaSilva has gone again to the fundamentals to start apply this week, with a dressing room filled with newcomers to the group.
“It’s a bit bit like coaching camp 2.0,” stated DaSilva.
Nearly a 3rd of the Blades roster has been turned over to a bunch of six gamers who’ve been added to the workforce following final week’s WHL commerce deadline.
In an effort to restock their prospect and draft decide cabinets, Saskatoon traded away a number of stars together with defenceman Tanner Molendyk to the Drugs Hat Tigers, fifth-year sniper Brandon Lisowsky to the Victoria Royals and centreman Ben Riche to the Prince George Cougars.
“It’s by no means straightforward while you’re shedding a few of your prime guys and guys that you just’ve labored with for 4 or 5 years,” stated DaSilva. “It’s by no means straightforward saying bye to these guys, however we’re enthusiastic about working with these new guys too.
“We all know that we’re constructing in direction of one thing particular right here and we’re making an attempt to benefit from these subsequent three, 4 months of the season as properly.”
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As a part of the return for Saskatoon, which included the six gamers, two prospects and 10 draft picks, has been a pair of 2007-born gamers in Hayden Harsanyi and Jack Kachkowski who’re already incomes huge minutes.
Two of the largest items of the Molendyk blockbuster with Drugs Hat, the pair had been focused by Blades normal supervisor Colin Priestner.
“It’s tremendous thrilling to have somebody that believes in you,” stated Harsanyi, who already has two targets with the Blades. “I simply need to make the most effective of it and actually present the followers that [Priestner] made the appropriate resolution.”
Additionally serving to to make that adjustment for brand spanking new faces like Hunter Laing, Kazden Mathies and Frantisek Dej has been overager Tanner Scott who’s a newcomer to the Blades himself.
Introduced in from the Royals as a part of the bundle for Lisowsky, he stated it’s been a stability of studying the ins and outs of a brand new group and serving to alongside the youthful gamers making the identical change.
“We do have a variety of younger guys that’s proper,” stated Scott. “Simply being the most effective chief I can, despite the fact that I simply got here in right here. I’m nonetheless 20 and I nonetheless need to lead this workforce and be a giant a part of that.”
Offence will probably be more durable to return by for Saskatoon following the commerce deadline, with DaSilva confirming there isn’t a lot a devoted first line of manufacturing anymore.
Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless lofty aspirations for the division-leading Blades to provide wins each now and sooner or later.
“It’s good that we get to start out at such a younger age to construct that chemistry over the subsequent couple of years,” stated Harsanyi. “I feel a number of individuals are nonetheless counting us out this yr and I feel we are able to nonetheless make an excellent push this yr as properly.”
After 4 consecutive video games on the street, the 22-14-2-2 Blades start a three-game dwelling stand on Wednesday evening internet hosting the Portland Winterhawks at 7:00 p.m.
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