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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Countdown to Training Camp – Rookie Situation

August 12, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


With a handful of roster spots opening up for the 2009-10 season, the Saskatoon Blades will give a capable group of rookies a long look at training camp.

Coming into the new season, the Blades have already lost forward Adam Chorneyko and defenseman Colin Joe to graduation and 20-year-old defenseman Ryan Funk in a trade the Vancouver Giants. Added to that, the team can only keep a group of three overage players from the crop of six return-eligible 1989-born players.

A few players in the team's system have already seen action in a Blades' uniform over the last couple of seasons. Left winger Jamie Crooks and goaltender Matthew Krahn, cracked last season's opening night roster before being returned to midget "AAA" and junior "A" respectively. Crooks, a 1992-born winger, saw action in 8 regular season games with the Blades, scoring once and adding 3 assists. Krahn, a 1991-born native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was the opening night goaltender for the Blades in 2008-09 and comes to camp after a MJHL championship season with the Portage Terriers.

Center Brent Benson and defenseman Duncan Siemens, both first round Bantam Draft selections in 2008, made their WHL debuts as 15-year-olds during the 2008-09 season. Benson, a 1993-born product of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, saw action in 4 games and registered one assist. Siemens, a 1993-born product of Sherwood Park, Alberta, got into 2 games and added one assist.

During the 2007-08 season, Woody Klassen, a 1991-born defenseman from Watrous, Saskatchewan, was in the Blades' lineup for 2 games, registering no points.

Looking ahead to the 2009-10 season, here is the breakdown of players currently on the team's player protected list that will be eligible to play full-time. Stats for the 2008-09 season are in parentheses.

1990's

The only rookie player coming to camp as a 19-year-old, left winger Tyler Matheson has spent the past two seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL (55-9-16-25-104).

1991's

Drafted by the Blades in the 1st round (57th overall) of the 2009 CHL Import Draft, Swedish left winger Hampus Gustafsson will look to replace Slovak center Milan Kytnar as one of the team's two import players (Malmo Redhawks - SWE U-20 - 31-15-17-32-53).

On defense, Klassen comes for his third try to crack the Blades roster (Battlefords Stars - SJHL - 48-1-9-10-113).

Listed by the Blades in 2006, Krahn hopes to form the other half of a goaltending tandem with Adam Morrison (Portage Terriers - MJHL - 12-3-2, 3.37, .885).

1992's

Up front, the Blades will have 5 1992-born players from the protected list in camp looking to make the team. Leading the way is the 17-year-old Crooks (Lloydminster Bobcats - AMHL - 33-39-32-71-75), who will receive competition from two former Blades Bantam Draft picks, left winger Braeden Johnson (Saskatoon Blazers - SMAAAHL - 42-13-19-32-54) and left winger Jesse Mychan (Saskatoon Contacts - SMAAAHL - 42-22-13-35-111). Also in the mix is two list players left winger Dustin Bruyere (Winnipeg Wild - MMAAAHL - 40-12-14-26-101) and center Steven Phee (UFA Bisons - AMHL - 28-8-23-31-52).

On defense, the Blades will have 4 17-year-olds in competition for roster spots. Zane Morin, a native of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, was a Blades draft pick in 2007 (Beardy's Blackhawks - SMAAAHL - 44-1-6-7-38) and will battle list players Denton King (Melfort Mustangs - SJHL - 48-1-5-6-42), Josh Middleton (Edmonton CAC - AMHL - 23-3-7-10-42), and Tyler Yaworski (Sherwood Park Kings - AMHL - 34-0-3-3-86) for a spot on the back end.

Chris Sharkey, a draft pick in 2007, is the only 17-year-old goaltender on the Blades protected list (Edmonton CAC - AMHL - 5-9-3, 4.47, .856).

1993's

Benson, a member of the 2009 Telus Cup National Midget Champion Notre Dame Hounds, is one of four forwards picked in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft vying a spot on this year's team (Notre Dame Hounds - SMAAAHL - 39-15-37-52-37). The others in competition for a position are left winger Graham McBain (Winnipeg Wild - MMAAAHL - 42-16-15-31-65), left winger Rhys Kingston (Lethbridge Hurricanes - SAML - 31-14-18-32-138), and right winger Jonathon Robinson (Los Angeles Jr. Kings - California Midget - N/A-25-19-44-54). One other 1993-born player on the Blades protected list that will not be attending camp is right winger Colton Sissons, who will remain Blades property.

Two draft picks and one list player born in 1993 will be in camp for a spot on the back end. Siemens, the 3rd overall bantam pick in 2008, looks to join the Blades after just one season of midget "AAA" (Sherwood Park Kings - AMHL - 34-5-13-18-68). Dalton Thrower, a 2nd round bantam pick in 2008, also will attempt to enter the Blades fold after just one year of midget "AAA" (Vancouver NW Giants - BCMML - 31-8-11-19-72). List player Gregory Kost is also in the mix (Saskatoon Steel - Midget AA - Statistics not available).

The 16-year-old goaltending prospects for the Blades, both bantam draft picks in 2008, are Tyler Oswald of Sanford, Manitoba (Pembina Valley Hawks - MMAAAHL - 14-2-3, 1.94, N/A) and Adam Iwan of Winnipeg, Manitoba (Winnipeg Hawks - City Midget - 12-4-2, 2.42, N/A).

The Blades veterans and rookies will report to camp on Wednesday, August 19th for registration. The on-ice portion of the 2009 Saskatoon Training Camp begins Thursday, August 20th at the Aberdeen Recreation Complex.

2009 Saskatoon Blades Home Exhibition Schedule

- Saturday, August 29th (at Aberdeen) vs Prince Albert

- Saturday, September 5th (at Aberdeen) vs Medicine Hat

- Friday, September 11th vs Prince Albert

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics

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