Family ties makes Blades career special for Robins

Tristen Robins (#11) eyes up a tribute video standing next to his dad, Trevor.

Growing up in Brandon, Man., Tristen Robins said his father, Trevor, divulged small pieces of his memorable past with the Saskatoon Blades.

“He shared a little bit growing up about his time with the Blades,” said Tristen, whose is the 20-year-old captain of the current Blades team. “It was nothing too in depth.

“It was nothing too crazy. I think it was his last year with the Blades where they went on a really far run and ended up losing in the finals, came up a little short. It is pretty cool to even just play for the same organization that my father did.”

Tristen Robin’s WHL rights were originally held by the Regina Pats, who selected him in the fourth round and 76 overall in what was then known as the WHL Bantam Draft. The skilled centre’s WHL rights were acquired in a blockbuster trade on January 8, 2018, when Robins was in his 16-year-old season.

The Pats were loading up their roster that season due to being the host team for the Memorial Cup tournament that crowns a CHL champion. They acquired Blades 19-year-old import Czech defenceman Libor Hajek, who had a signed NHL entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, in exchange for 19-year-old defenceman Dawson Davidson, Robins, and a first round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.

Robins suited up in one game before the trade with the Pats and dressed for his first three games as a member of the Blades as the 2017-18 campaign played to a conclusion. He became a full-time member of the team in his 17-year-old season and rose to star status in 2019-20 putting up 33 goals, 40 assists and a plus-16 rating in the plus-minus department appearing in 62 games with the Blades.

Tristen Robins has 200 points in regular season play with the Blades.

Following that season, Robins would be selected in the second round and 56^th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He would later sign an NHL entry-level contract with the Sharks.

In total, Robins has played in 211 career regular season games with the Blades posting 85 goals and 115 assists for 200 points.

Robins is skating through his final season as a member of the Blades, and he would like create a lasting post-season memory with the team like his father did.

The younger Robins has one last chance to do that as the Blades (38-26-3-1) begin play in the WHL Playoffs taking on the Warriors (37-24-4-3) in Moose Jaw in Game 1 of a best-of-seven first round series on Friday at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place. 

The Warriors finished fourth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with 81 standings points just edging out the fifth-place Blades by a single point.

Robins missed the Blades last four regular season games due to injury but is probable for Game 1 of the playoffs against the Warriors.

“I would love to go as far as we can eventually, you know hopefully, win a championship,” said Tristen Robins. “It is my last kick at the can here, so I’m going to do everything I can here to help lead this team to a championship.”

Tristen Robins had a career high 78 points this season.

Way back at the start of the 1989-90 season, Trevor has been in training camp with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings before being cut. He was quickly picked up by the Blades and made the team as a 17-year-old rookie backing up overager Damon Kustra.

Kustra ultimately was dogged by an abdominal muscle injury, and Trevor found himself in the starting role. Trevor posted a 21-21-1 record, a 4.66 goals against average, a .861 save percentage and one shutout helping the Blades make the playoffs with a record of 33 wins 34 loss and 5 ties.

In the high scoring 1980s and early 1990s, Trevor’s statistics were viewed as being good.

The Blades advanced to the second round to play a best-of-seven series against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who topped the Eastern Conference with a 51-17-4 record. The Hurricanes took a 3-0 lead in the series, but with Robins in goal outside of a short stretch in Game 5, the Blades rallied to even the series at 3-3.

The Hurricanes claimed Game 7 in overtime 4-3 with the winning tally coming from Neil Hawryluk.

The Blades missed the playoffs in Trevor’s second season in 1990-91, but returned to the post-season with a 38-29-5 record in 1991-92. Trevor was named a first team Eastern Conference all-star posting a 24-23-2 record, a 3.50 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.

Saskatoon advanced to the best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference Championship series against their archrivals the Prince Albert Raiders, who finished second overall in the WHL with a 50-20-2 mark. The Blades fell behind 2-1 in the series.

Tristen Robins (#11) smiles after scoring a goal on March 25.

In a critical Game 4, Robins made 29 saves to back the Blades to a 2-1 victory before 9,452 spectators at the SaskTel Centre. The Blades used the momentum from that win to take the next two games of the series for a 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven set to advance to the WHL Final.

In the WHL Final, the Blades faced the Kamloops Blazers, who posted the league’s best record at 51-17-4. The Blades fell in a hard-fought series that went seven games to a Blazers squad that went on to win their first of three Memorial Cup titles in four years as CHL champions.

Trevor completed his major junior career with his hometown Wheat Kings in 1992-92 being once again named a WHL first team Eastern Conference all-star posting a 36-17-4 record, a 3.15 goals against average, a .904 save percentage and two shutouts.

Following that one campaign with the Wheat Kings, Trevor played three seasons in the minor system of the San Jose Sharks after signing a free agent contract with the NHL club. That same Sharks side ultimately drafted and signed Tristen in 2020.

As for Tristen, he has enjoyed his time with the Blades and appreciates hearing old stories from Saskatoon residents about his dad from when he played with the team. The son got a laugh out of hearing how Trevor got kicked out of the Blades Game 5 win in Lethbridge in their 1990 second round playoff series with the Hurricanes.

With the Blades up 6-5 late in the second period, Blades defenceman Mark Wotton was engaged in a fight with Hurricanes rearguard Pat Pylypuik. Trevor got involved in the altercation trying to both break it up and pull Wotton away from the fisticuffs.

Tristen Robins has a signed contract with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.

The officials ruled Trevor was the third man in on the fight booted him from the game, which the Blades would take by a 7-6 final.

Tristen said Trevor talking glowingly of the crowds especially the massive turnouts that came to see the Blades during playoff time that often saw over 10,000 spectators pack into the SaskTel Centre.

“He just said it was crazy back then,” said Robins. “We’re getting glimpses of that this year with the great crowds that we are getting.

“I’m super excited for what is to come.”

Blades head coach Brennan Sonne, who is in his first season with the organization, said Robins has been valuable to the club in many ways both on and off the ice. Sonne has been impressed with how Robins has shouldered the role of becoming captain late in the campaign.

On March 30, the Blades announced offensive-defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere, who is the team’s captain, needed season ending shoulder surgery and wouldn’t be available to return to the team until the start of training camp next season. Robins was given the role of captain for the rest of the current campaign.

“Just like anything, your actions much louder than your words,” said Sonne. “I think Robby has internalized that a little bit.

Tristen Robins will be skating in his last post-season with the Blades.

“I thought he led the way in terms of dig in, buy in and all that kind of stuff. It is really unfortunate that we lost De La (Gorgendiere). We wish him the best with his surgery and recovery.

“Again, we still have a group, and we put in a lot of time. Robby has stepped up to be that central leadership figure for the players.”

Robins is having his best season during his final campaign in the major junior ranks. In 62 appearances with the Blades, he has posted 33 goals and 45 assists for 78 points and his assist and point totals were career highs. He also has a plus-four rating.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, Robins wasn’t able to skate in any post-season action in 2020 and 2021, because the WHL wasn’t able to hold playoffs due to challenges with the pandemic. The Memorial Cup was cancelled in each of the past two years.

Robins has only been able to experience one post-season in 2019. The Blades finished fourth overall in the WHL in that regular season with a 45-15-8 record but lost a second round series in six games to the eventual WHL champion Raiders, who topped the regular season standings with a 54-10-2-2 record.

The playoff format for that campaign created a bracket that saw the Blades and Raiders meet in the second round.

Robins said it is different to think that the upcoming post-season will be his last in the major junior ranks.

“It is emotional for sure, but at the same time, I’m super grateful for how this organization has treated me after I came from Regina,” said Robins. “It has been nothing but class.

Tristen Robins gives “fives” to his Blades teammates.

“I just want to pass on a legacy of Blades culture and positivity.”

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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Contract extensions for Saskies big for Roughriders

A Roughriders “Bring ‘Em Out” T-shirt.

During a season of struggle on the field, the Saskatchewan Roughriders featured three of their most popular “Wheat Province” products on a gift store T-shirt.

The year was 2015 and the Roughriders were suffering through a 3-15 regular season to finish last in the entire CFL. The Roughriders stumbled out of the gate at 0-9 and missed the post-season two years after winning their fourth Grey Cup title.

During the second half of that 2015 campaign, the Roughriders stocked their gift store with a “Bring ‘Em Out” T-shirt, which referenced the team’s pre-game entrance.

The picture on the T-shirt was a shot of the Roughriders storming on to the frozen concrete of their old long time home in Taylor Field.

The three players leading the charge were long snapper Jorgen Hus, left guard Brendon LaBatte and centre Dan Clark. All three are popular products from Saskatchewan.

Hus is from Saskatoon and an alumnus of the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and the University of Regina Rams from the U Sports ranks.

Labatte is from Weyburn and is a Rams alum. Clark is from Regina and is an alumnus of the CJFL’s Regina Thunder.

Having to deal with a campaign that had come off the rails on the field, the Roughriders marketing crew created a product to pull at the heartstrings of the people in the province.

Fast forward to 2020, the Roughriders and the rest of the CFL wasn’t able to take the field due to the coronavirus pandemic that had gripped the world. The Roughriders were looking to build off a 2019 campaign that saw the team finish first in the West Division with a 13-5 record before falling to the eventual Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20-13 in the West Final.

Saskatchewan had won 10-or-more games for three straight seasons and had a roster full of popular stars like quarterback Cody Fajardo, receiver Shaq Evans and defensive back Ed Gainey.

Jorgen Hus (#46) sets to snap the ball for the Roughriders in 2019.

With massive vaccination rollouts expected to happen for COVID-19 in the first half 2021, the Roughriders have already started to build their roster for a potential 2021 return to the field campaign.

December of 2020 saw the Roughriders sign a mass load of players, which has included a number of returnees from the 2019 season.

The re-signings have included a number of stars like Evans, running back William Powell and defensive back Nick Marshall.

The re-signings have included contract extensions for Hus, LaBatte and Clark. Hus signed a one-year extension that will carry him through to the end of 2021 CFL campaign.

LaBatte and Clark have signed two-year extensions that will carry them through the end of the 2022 CFL campaign.

While it is huge to have big name stars under contract like Fajardo, Evans or Marshall, players like Hus LaBatte and Clark make up the soul of the Roughriders.

All three have been with their home province club for an extended period of time, and all have come up to the professional ranks playing through Saskatchewan’s minor football system. The presence of Hus, LaBatte and Clark allow young players in Saskatchewan’s minor football system to identify with the Roughriders and see it is possible to have a lengthy professional career.

Hus, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 230 pounds, joined the Roughriders in May of 2015 after his CFL rights were acquired from the Edmonton Football Club. He had previously spent time with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

Brendon LaBatte (#57) in action for the Roughriders in 2017.

The 31-year-old has played 81 career regular season games with the Roughriders making 15 career special teams tackles and one defensive tackle. Hus is good enough at his long snapping craft he could be in the NFL, if the right opportunity ever came his way.

Hus has become a successful mortgage broker in Saskatoon, when he is not playing or training for football. He is seemingly willing to help out anyone who takes up the long snapping craft in his hometown including members of the Hilltops and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the U Sports ranks.

LaBatte, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 320 pounds, has made his mark as one of the best offensive linemen to ever play in the CFL and has to be destined for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

After playing his first for CFL seasons with the Blue Bombers, LaBatte joined as a free agent signee before the start of the 2012 campaign. In 12 CFL seasons, the 34-year-old has played in 181 regular season games including 112 contests with the Roughriders.

LaBatte was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Lineman in 2013, which was a campaign that saw the Roughriders win the Grey Cup at Taylor Field by a 45-23 final over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He was named a CFL all-star six times, a West Division all-star six times and an East Division all-star three times.

LaBatte prides himself in being a mentor to young offensive lineman who join the team, and he is the perfect person you want in the community to represent the team.

Clark first signed with the Roughriders way back in 2009 as a territorial junior player. He made his debut with the Roughriders in 2012.

He became famous for catching touchdown passes in 2013 and 2014 on a trick play as a tight end in the team’s short-yardage package near the goal-line.

Dan Clark calls signals for the Roughriders in 2019.

Clark, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 310 pounds, found a home as the Roughriders starting centre in 2015. The 32-year-old has appeared in 112 regular season games with the Roughriders.

The 2019 campaign was Clark’s finest personal season being named a West Division all-star, a CFL all-star and the Roughriders Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.

Clark is another local who is sensational at representing the Roughriders in the community.

With the CFL having not played a game in 2020, it is important for the Roughriders to have veteran Saskie products on their roster.

When the Roughriders do return to play, veterans like Hus, LaBatte and Clark will give the community owned team the local pull on the heartstrings asset it needs.

Blades’ Robins signs with NHL’s Sharks

Tristen Robins in action for the Blades in the 2019 WHL playoffs.

Tristen Robins has a spectacular start to 2021.

On New Year’s Day, the NHL’s San Jose Sharks announced they had signed Robins to a three-year, NHL entry-level contract. The 19-year-old centre with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades was selected in the second round and 56^th overall in the NHL Entry Draft held this past October.

Robins, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 173 pounds, has played two full seasons with the Blades. He shot up to star status in 2019-20 piling up 33 goals, 40 assists and a plus-16 rating in the plus-minus department in 62 regular season games.

As an 18-year-old sophomore in 2019-20, Robins kept turning more and more heads of NHL scouts. He was rated 134th among North American Skaters in the midterm ranking put out by NHL Central Scouting.

Robins leaped up to the 86th spot among North American skaters on the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. His stock continued to rise resulting in a second round draft selection.

The 2019-20 WHL campaign was ultimately ended on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Robins helped the Blades post a 34-24-2-3 record to officially lock up a playoff berth before the season was halted.

He has the skating, puck handling, shooting and hockey sense abilities few have. Robins has been a perfect representative for the Blades in the community.

Robins is also following in the footsteps of his father, Trevor, in joining the Sharks. Trevor, who was a Blades goaltender from 1989 to 1992 and played for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 1992-93, signed a free agent contract with the Sharks and played two seasons in their minor system from 1993 to 1995.

In his second season as a professional in 1994-95, Trevor was called up from the International Hockey League’s Kansas City Blades to the Sharks, who dealing with injury problems in goal. Trevor spent about three months going up and down between the two teams but ultimately never saw action in and NHL game.

Tristen has the potential to play for the Sharks one day over an extended period of time. If he gets to skate in just one NHL regular season game, he would one up his father in the process.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tristen (@tristenrobins)

Canada off to semifinals at world juniors

Bowen Byram in action for the Giants in May of 2019.

Canada made the plays it needed to in order to get past the Czech Republic in the quarter-final round at the world junior men’s hockey championship.

Playing in a bubble environment at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., without fans on Saturday due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada blanked the Czech Republic 3-0 in a single-elimination quarter-final game to improve to 5-0 at the event.

Dylan Cozens, who is a star centre with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, netted Canada’s first goal scoring on a breakaway at the 8:22 mark of the opening frame.

Bowen Byram, who is a star offensive-defenceman with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, netted his first goal of the tournament sneaking a shot through Czech netminder Nick Malik at the 11:39 mark of the opening frame to give Canada a 2-0 advantage.

Cozens picked up an assist on Byram’s goal for a two-point night.

The Czech side didn’t go away and controlled play for sizable stretches of the contest.

Canada finally got the knockout blow with an empty-net goal by Connor McMichael, who is a centre with the OHL’s London Knights, with 2:49 remaining in the third period to round out the 3-0 victory. McMichael also had an assist in the contest.

Kaiden Guhle, a star offensive-defenceman with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, had an assist on McMichael’s empty-net goal.

Peyton Krebs, who is a star centre with the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, had a pair of assists for Canada.

Devon Levi, who is a member of the Northeastern University Huskies men’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks, turned away 29 shots to pick up his second shutout win of the tournament for Canada.

Malik turned away 22-of-24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Czech Republic.

In the other quarter-finals on Saturday, Russia downed Germany 2-1, Finland slipped past Sweden 3-2 and the United States beat Slovakia 5-2.

Canada will face Russia in one semifinal match on Monday (5 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN). The United States and Finland will go at it in Monday’s other semifinal (8:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN).

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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From Blades to Sharks, Robins follows father’s footsteps

Tristen Robins was a second round NHL Entry Draft pick.

At times, it seems like the hockey Gods have predetermined Tristen Robins’ path through the game.

That path sees Tristen following in the footsteps of his father, Trevor Robins. The one big difference between the two is Tristen is a high-scoring centre, while Trevor was a solid puck stopping goalie.

For three seasons from 1989 to 1992, Trevor, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 179 pounds, played in the WHL for the Saskatoon Blades. He was named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference first all-star team in 1991-92, which was a campaign where the Blades advanced to the WHL Championship series and fell in a series deciding seventh game to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Kamloops Blazers.

Tristen Robins is a star with the Blades.

As for Tristen, it appeared at first his WHL career was going to be with the Regina Pats, who selected him in the fourth round and 76^th overall in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

On January 8, 2018, Tristen’s WHL rights were acquired by the Blades in a blockbuster trade. In that trade, Tristen, defenceman Dawson Davidson and a first round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft went to the Blades in exchanged for import Czech defenceman Libor Hajek.

The Pats acquired Hajek in order to load up their roster as the host of the Memorial Cup tournament in May of 2018.

Tristen, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 173 pounds, has played two full seasons with the Blades. He shot up to star status this past campaign piling up 33 goals, 40 assists and a plus-16 rating in the plus-minus department in 62 regular season games.

On Wednesday, the hand of fate saw Tristen once again follow in his father’s hockey footsteps. 

Tristan Robins led the Blades with 73 points last season.

At the NHL Entry Draft that was via video conference call from the NHL Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, the San Jose Sharks picked Tristen in the second round and 56^th overall.

The Sharks happened to be the first professional team Trevor signed with.

Following the 1991-92 season, Trevor was traded by the Blades to the Brandon Wheat Kings, who had finished last in the entire league with a record of 11 wins, 55 loses and six ties. Brandon is the hometown of the Robins family.

With Trevor starting in goal as an overager, the Wheat Kings shot up to fourth overall in the WHL with a record of 43 wins, 25 losses and four ties. He was again named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference first all-star team.

Tristen Robins followed his dad’s footsteps to the Blades.

Trevor ended up signing a free agent contract with the Sharks.

In his second season as a professional in 1994-95, Trevor was called up from the International Hockey League’s Kansas City Blades to the Sharks, who dealing with injury problems in goal. Trevor spent about three months going up and down between the two teams but ultimately never saw action in and NHL game.

One day, Tristen, who is 18-years-old, might be able to one-up his father and hit the ice for an NHL game.

This was first time Tristan was eligible for the NHL Entry Draft due to his birthday being in November. Players need to be born on or before September 15 the year they turn 18-years-old to be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft.

Tristen Robins is following his dad’s footsteps to the Sharks.

Tristan will be playing in his 19-year-old season in the 2020-21 WHL campaign, which is targeted to start late on Dec. 4 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

The NHL is targeting to start its regular season on January 1, 2021.

As an 18-year-old sophomore, Tristen kept turning more and more heads of NHL scouts. He was rated 134th among North American Skaters in the midterm ranking put out by NHL Central Scouting.

Tristen Robins (#11) celebrates one of his 33 goals last season.

Tristen leaped up to the 86th spot among North American skaters on the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. His stock continued to rise resulting in a second round draft selection.

The 2019-20 WHL campaign was ultimately ended on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but had Tristen been able to participate in the playoffs for a second straight year, he might have further increased his draft stock.

Tristen helped the Blades post a 34-24-2-3 record to officially lock up a playoff berth before the season was halted.

He has the skating, puck handling, shooting and hockey sense abilities few have. Tristen has also been a perfect representative for the Blades in the community.

It would not be a surprise to see Tristen put all of those characteristics on display in the NHL some day. He has the potential to make the Sharks brass look very wise for selecting him.

Tigers G Garin Bjorklund was picked by the Capitals.

The NHL Entry Draft concluded on Wednesday with teams selecting players in rounds two through seven. Over the draft’s two days, 28 players from the WHL were picked up NHL clubs.

Left-winger Cross Hanas of the Portland Winterhawks was the first WHL player taken in Wednesday’s NHL Entry Draft proceedings going in the second round and 55^th overall to the Detroit Red Wings. The Highland Village, Texas, product posted 22 goals, 27 assists and a plus-20 rating in 60 games with the Winterhawks.

Of some of the other various notables, Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Daemon Hunt was taken in the third round and 65^th overall by the Minnesota Wild. The Brandon, Man., product was limited to 28 games this past season due to a skate cut injury to his arm.

Hunt had 15 assists in those games and was playing for the Warriors when the campaign was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brandon’s Ben McCartney (#22) was picked by the Coyotes.

Kamloops Blazers goalie Dylan Garand was selected in the fourth round and 103^rd overall by the New York Rangers. The Victoria, B.C., product posted a 28-10-3 record, a 2.21 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 games last season with the Blazers.

Medicine Hat Tigers right-winger Lukas Svejkovsky was taken in the fourth round and 108^th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Point Roberts, Wash., product recorded 18 goals, 20 assists and a plus-38 rating in 52 games split between the Vancouver Giants and Tigers. The Tigers acquired Svejkovsky via a trade.

Portland Winterhawks left-winger Jaydon Dureau was selected in the fifth round and 147^th overall. The White City, Sask., product recorded 19 goals, 51 assists and a plus-41 rating in 61 regular season games.

Tristen Robins (#11) celebrates a Blades win with Riley McKay.

Tigers netminder Garin Bjorklund was picked in the sixth round and 179^th overall by the Washington Capitals. The Grande Prairie, Alta., product posted a 20-5-1 record, a 2.91 goals against average, a .897 save percentage and one shutout last season as a 17-year-old rookie.

Wheat Kings left-winger Ben McCartney was selected in the seventh round and 204^th overall by the Arizona Coyotes. The Macdonald, Man., product collected 25 goals, 36 assists and a plus-eight rating in 61 games last season for the Wheat Kings.

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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Robins on the rise, tops Blades prospects for NHL Entry Draft

Tristen Robins is expected to be an NHL Entry Draft pick.

Tristen Robins might make some NHL scout or general manager look like a genus somewhere down the line.

Since joining the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades on a full-time basis as a 17-year-old rookie at the start of the 2018-19 season, the skilled centre as steadily improved. During that first season, Robins appeared in all of the Blades 68 regular season games posting nine goals, 16 assists and a plus-seven rating in the plus-minus department.

In the Blades march to the second round of the 2019 WHL playoffs, Robins appeared in all 10 of the team’s post-season games collecting three goals and one assist.

Tristen Robins led the Blades with 73 points last season.

The Blades were very deep at forward that season finishing fourth overall in the WHL regular season standings at 45-15-8, so Robins wasn’t relied upon for offence. Still, the Brandon, Man., product showed flashes in the offensive zone to make one suspect there was more potential to unlock at that end of the ice.

He piled up the points in Brandon’s minor hockey system growing up to further show that potential was there.

Last year as an 18-year-old sophomore, Robins, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 173 pounds, appeared in 62 regular season games with the Blades leading the team in scoring with 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points to go along with a plus-16 rating.

Tristen Robins scored 33 goals for the Blades last season.

He played a key role in helping the Blades post a 34-24-2-3 record to lock up a WHL playoff berth for the second straight year. The Blades were unable to enjoy any post-season action as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ultimately put an end to the overall WHL campaign on March 12.

Thanks to his performance in the 2019-20 regular season, Robins was rated 86^th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings, which was a huge jump from being rated 134^th among North American skaters in the midterm rankings.

It is conceivable Robins could have increased his NHL Entry Draft potential had there been a post-season in major junior hockey.

Tristen Robins made big strides in two seasons with the Blades.

At the moment, it looks like the odds are high Robins will be picked in one of the middle rounds of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

The NHL Entry Draft will start with round one on Tuesday via video conference call from the NHL Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. Rounds two through seven will be held on Wednesday by that same video conference call format.

This marks the first time Robins will be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft due to his late in the year birthday. Players need to be born on or before September 15 the year they turn 18-years-old to be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft.

Robins has been a great fit for the Blades after they acquired his WHL rights from the Regina Pats in a trade on January 8, 2018. In that trade, Robins, defenceman Dawson Davidson and a first round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft went to the Blades in exchanged for import Czech defenceman Libor Hajek.

Tristen Robins is one of the Blades top players.

The Pats acquired Hajek in order to load up their roster as the host of the Memorial Cup tournament in May of 2018.

With that move, Robins followed in the footsteps of his father, Trevor, in being a member of the Blades. Trevor played three seasons for the Blades from 1989 to 1992, and was part of the Blades team that fell in Game 7 of the WHL Championship Series in 1992.

During the 1992 post-season, Trevor played a big role in helping the Blades turn around a league semifinal series against their archrivals the Prince Albert Raiders. In Game 4 of that series, Trevor made 29 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Raiders to even that best-of-seven series at 2-2.

The Blades would take that series in six games to advance to the WHL final.

Rhett Rhinehart could be an NHL Entry Draft pick.

Now Tristen has made his own name for himself with the Blades. Any NHL team would be wise to select him in the NHL Entry Draft, because it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Robins one day crack into that level.

He has the skating, puck handling, shooting and hockey sense abilities few have. During the extended off-season, Robins travels to Winnipeg, Man., in order to continue to sharpen his skills at the Rink Hockey Academy.

Besides Robins, the Blades had four other players break on to the final NHL Central Scouting rankings.

Defenceman Rhett Rhinehart came in at the 151^st spot among North American skaters. Like Robins, Rhinehart is eligible for the NHL Entry Draft for the first time due to his late in the year birthday.

Aidan De La Gorgendiere is on the NHL’s radar.

Playing last season as a third-year 18-year-old veteran, Rhinehart, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 205 pounds, appeared in 57 regular season games split between the Prince George Cougars and Blades collecting three goals, 15 assists and a minus-12 rating.

The Blades acquired Rhinehart in a deal on January 10 just before the WHL trade deadline. The Lloydminster, Alta., product was a plus-one in 21 appearances with the Blades.

Rearguard Aidan De La Gorgendiere, who is a product of Langley, B.C., cracked the final NHL Central Scouting rankings at the 197^th spot among North American skaters after not being listed on the midterm rankings. 

De La Gorgendiere, who stands 6-feet and weighs 184 pounds, improved steadily during his 17-year-old sophomore campaign appearing in all of the Blades 63 regular season games posting four goals, 24 assists and a plus-two rating.

Kyle Crnkovic's skill overcomes his lack of size.

Left-winger Kyle Crnkovic checked in at the 208^th spot among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting ranking also after not being listed on the midterm rankings.

In his two seasons with the Blades, Crnkovic has established as one of Saskatoon’s top players that comes through in the clutch. The Chestermere, Alta., product appeared in all of the Blades 63 regular season games finishing second in team scoring with 21 goals and 43 assists for 64 points to go along with a plus-nine rating.

While Crnkovic has skill, his lack of size is the biggest characteristic that likely holds him back in the eyes of NHL scouts, as he stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 161 pounds. Still, Crnkovic can play the game at a very high level.

Koen MacInnes had a solid rookie season for the Blades.

Koen MacInnes is the fifth member of the Blades to make the final NHL Central Scouting rankings coming in at 22^nd among North American goalies. MacInnes was rated 31^st in the midterm ranking among North American goalies.

The Burnaby, B.C., product had a solid 17-year-old rookie campaign last season with the Blades posting a 14-5-1 record, a 2.84 goals against average, a .901 save percentage and three shutouts. MacInnes also stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 184 pounds, and NHL scouts will likely appreciate the netminder’s size.

Overall at this moment, Robins heads the class of Blades players eligible to be picked in the NHL Entry Draft.

You have a feeling his hockey career has the potential to contain a few heroic moments in the future.

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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