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| The Oil Kings could be a buyer as the trade deadline nears. |
At this point in time, the division leaders in the Winnipeg Ice (East Division), Edmonton Oil Kings (Central Division), Kamloops Blazers (B.C. Division) and Everett Silvertips (U.S. Division) are contemplating how many of their chips they are going to push to the centre of the table to try and win the WHL championship and Memorial Cup as CHL champions this year.
You could place the surprising Red Deer Rebels amongst that group too. Having finished second last in the entire WHL with a 4-15-4 record in an abbreviated season in 2020-21, the Rebels sit fourth overall in the league standings with a 22-9-2-1 record this season.
Normally as the trade deadline looms, teams at the top of the standings will trade younger players or WHL Prospects Draft selections to get a standout older player hoping to make a current roster stronger.
With the world still stuck in the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, realistic doubt still exists about whether a post-season will be pulled off.
From this past Friday to Sunday, the WHL had 23 games scheduled and only one contest was played. That game was a Saturday night clash that saw the Portland Winterhawks down the Rockets in Kelowna 3-1.
Most of those games were postponed due to teams dealing with issues related to COVID-19 as the world grapples with the rise of the Omicron variant, which is supposed to be milder but is way more transmissible than other strains of the coronavirus.
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| Carson Latimer was a trade pick up by the Raiders. |
In Canada’s other two major junior leagues that play under the CHL umbrella, they are dealing with COVID-19 bumps too. The OHL has dealt with multiple postponements since its Christmas break on December 28, 2021.
The QMJHL hasn’t resumed play since last hitting the ice on December 18, 2021 before going on Christmas break. At the moment, the QMJHL is slated to return to the ice with two games on January 19.
The last time the WHL crowned a league champion was 2019, when the Prince Albert Raiders captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The last time a CHL champion was crowned was also in 2019, when the QMJHL champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies took home the Memorial Cup.
The QMJHL was the only CHL circuit to crown a champion last season with the Victoriaville Tigres taking the league title.
At the moment, this year’s Memorial Cup is scheduled to be held June 4-13 in Saint John, New Brunswick with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs playing as the host team.
There have to be some doubts about the Memorial Cup tournament happening this year.
The WHL has set its trade deadline for this coming Monday on January 17, which is a week after the traditional January 10 date. The trade deadline day was pushed back a week due to the fact the WHL got a late start on its regular season, and the schedule is spread out to allow for hiccups.
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| The Ice might try to further stack a strong roster. |
If top teams don’t make trades and the post-season and Memorial Cup goes ahead, there will be ultra-passionate fans who will criticize clubs for not loading up with older standout players unless championships are won.
It feels like the real winners heading into this year’s trade deadline will be the clubs that are able to trade a standout veteran for younger players and multiple draft selections.
The Raiders got the biggest jump in this department with a trade on December 1, 2021. In that deal, the Raiders dealt captain and star 19-year-old defenceman Kaiden Guhle to the Oil Kings for right-winger Carson Latimer, who is in his 18-year-old season, 17-year-old defenceman Eric Johnston, a first round selection in the 2021 Prospects Draft, a sixth round selection in the 2022 Prospects Draft, a first round selection in the 2023 Prospects Draft and a conditional third round pick in the 2025 Prospects Draft.
In the Prospects Draft held on December 9, 2021, the Raiders used the 2021 first round selection they got from the Oil Kings to select 15-year-old forward Cole Peardon from the Saskatoon Blazers under-18 AAA team.
With all that noted, the WHL produced some hope with a release that went out at 6:14 p.m. Saskatchewan time on Monday.
The WHL announced the Oil Kings, Silvertips, Medicine Hat Tigers, Raiders, Rebels, Saskatoon Blades, Spokane Chiefs and Ice have all been cleared to resume team activities.
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| The Rebels may make a deal to continue a surprise strong season. |
At the moment, the Calgary Hitmen, Kamloops Blazers, Prince George Cougars, Vancouver Giants and Victoria Royals are still paused.
The WHL also announced the changes to the schedules of 18 regular season games to cut into dealing with the postponements that happened.
While teams are returning to action, it doesn’t lessen the gamble for the clubs that sit at the top or near the top of the WHL standings when it comes to making trades.
A reprieve comes to the one team that ultimately wins the WHL title and or the Memorial Cup, if the post-season is played to completion.
Blades move ahead with theme nights, other
notes
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| The ceremonial faceoff from the Blades’ Girls Rock Night in Dec. 2019. |
Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic got its grips on the world, the Blades consistently hit home runs having theme nights to go around a large number of their home games. In their last home game before North America really came into the grips of the pandemic back on March 6, 2020, the Blades hosted their WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation game.
They brought in famous NHL emergency backup goalie David Ayres to meet the fans. Ayres had a kidney transplant in 2004, which allowed him to live life to the fullest.
The Blades wore special Hockey Night in Canada themed jerseys for that game, while the coaches and play-by-play voice Les Lazaruk wore old school baby blue Hockey Night in Canada blazers. The jerseys and blazers were auctioned off in a blind auction.
All proceeds raised from that contest were donated to Saskatoon’s Kidney Foundation Branch.
The Blades topped things off pulling out a 2-1 overtime victory that night at the SaskTel Centre over the Regina Pats before 4,478 spectators.
If things go well on the pandemic front for the rest of January, the Blades are hoping to get four theme nights in for the rest of this month.
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| Blades captain Chase Wouters wears a themed jersey on March 6, 2020. |
DJ Kush will create a special country playlist that will play all night long. The Blades mascot, Pokecheck, is slated to be part of a few special features too.
If things go well enough, the Blades plan to give a salute to local minor hockey goaltender during a pre-game show. Traditionally, they have had goalies dress in their gear and lineup on the goal-line.
The clash with the Broncos is a rain-check night, so fans can bring unused tickets and exchange them for a ticket to the Saturday contest.
On Friday, January 21, the Blades are bringing back their traditional Girls Rock Night, when they take on the Medicine Hat Tigers at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.
Brigette Lacquette, who played defence for Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team and is currently a scout for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, and Keely Shaw, who won a bronze medal in cycling at the 2020 Paralympics that were actually held in 2021, will be part of a pregame speaking engagement designed for all ages.
On Tuesday, the Blades announced recently graduated Saskatoon Hilltops linebacker Emmarae Dale will be joining Lacquette and Shaw as speakers. Dale is the first female to play games in the CJFL.
They will share their stories of success and overcoming adversity during their respective journeys through athletics.
On Saturday, January 22, the Blades have collaborated with local inclusion groups and organizations to introduce Pride Night, when they face the Winnipeg Ice at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. In honour of the LGBTQ+ community, the Blades will be wearing special themed jerseys for that contest.
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| Emmarae Dale will be at the Blades’ upcoming Girls Rock Night. |
The Blades are trying to bring all under-seven minor hockey teams in Saskatoon to that night’s game via free admission for those teams. Following the contest, there will be a post-game skate on the ice.
Of course with the pandemic, these theme nights are subject to chance, so it is wise to keep tabs on the Blades website and social media lines to stay in the loop about the status of these nights.
The Blades did a have a Superhero Night slated for last Friday’s home game originally scheduled against the Regina Pats, which was postponed due to COVID-19 issues.
Overall, the Blades deserve props for attempting to go ahead with these theme nights. They add a special extra element to the home game schedule.
There is still value in at least trying to pull them off.
- When the Saskatoon Blades return to action, they will be without 18-year-old centre Jayden Wiens, who was suspended two games for receiving a boarding major in a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings on January 1. The Blades are set to resume action on Friday when they travel to Swift Current to take on the Broncos (7 p.m., Innovation Credit Union i-Plex).
- Last Friday, the WHL’s Tri-City Americans announced they will wear special decals on their helmets to honour late alumnus Matt Swaby for the rest of the season. The decals read “Swaby 4.” Swaby passed away in a farming accident on November 26, 2021. He played defence for the Prince Albert Mintos under-18 AAA team from 2002 to 2004, the Americans from 2004 to 2007, the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2007 to 2008 and the U Sports’ University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team from 2008 to 2011.
- The Prince Albert Raiders are slated to resume game action on Friday, when they travel to Lethbridge to take on the Hurricanes. That will be the Raiders first game since returning from a pause due to issues with COVID-19. Their next home game is set for Friday, January 21 at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre when they take on the Winnipeg Ice.
- On Tuesday, the Calgary Hitmen traded 20-year-old captain Jackson van de Leest to the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for 20-year-old right-winger Blake Stevenson, 18-year-old defenceman Trey Patterson and a conditional second round selection in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
- It has been a tough start to 2022 for the storied University of Western Ontario Mustangs football and athletics program that played in the U Sports ranks. On January 4, Darwin Semotiuk, a legendary Mustangs football coach, university professor and athletic director, passed away at age 76 due to natural causes. Semotiuk was the head coach of the Mustangs football team from 1975 to 1983 and guided them to Vanier Cup titles as U Sports champions in 1976 and 1977. Last Thursday, Prince Albert, Sask., product Larry Haylor, who was also a legendary Mustangs football head coach and member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a builder, passed away at age 76 due to a heart attack. He was the Mustangs head coach from 1984 to 2006 and guided them to Vanier Cup wins in 1989 and 1994. Condolences go to the family and friends of Semotiuk and Haylor.
- On Friday, the Saskatchewan Games Council announced the Saskatchewan Winter Games slated to take place February 20 to 26 in Regina will not proceed due to COVID-19 and cited concern about the unpredictability of the Omicron variant. The Saskatchewan Games Council left the door open to potentially hold those games at a later date.
- On Monday, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies announced their home games this coming Friday and Saturday will be played without spectators in attendance. On Friday, the Huskies women’s and men’s volleyball teams host the Brandon University Bobcats at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively at the Physical Activity Complex. The Huskies host the Bobcats again on Saturday at the Physical Activity Complex with the women’s game slated for 3 p.m. and the men’s contest following at 5 p.m. The Huskies women’s hockey team hosts the University of Regina Cougars at 7 p.m. Friday at Merlis Belsher Place. The Huskies men’s hockey team hosts the U of Regina Cougars at 7 p.m. Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place. The Huskies cited the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 for the decision to hold games without fans. Last Thursday, the Huskies cancelled the Sanderson Classic indoor track and field meet outright due to COVID-19. The Sanderson Classic was slated to be held this coming Friday and Saturday at the Saskatoon Field House.
- On Monday, the organizers of the Knights of Columbus Indoor Games cancelled that indoor track and field event for a second straight year. This year’s games were slated to be held January 28 and 29.
- On Sunday, I created new content that went live on the Howe Happenings blog. The feature piece has been a popular one on right-handed pitcher Garrett Hawkins, who was drafted by the MLB’s San Diego Padres and played with their rookie team this past summer. The story on Hawkins can be found by clicking right here. The new content also contained a photo round of pictures I shot at the Complex. It can be found by clicking right here.
If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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