The first live look at the Saskatoon Blades since March 9, 2020 happens Thursday through Saturday as the Bridge City Bunch holds their 2021-22 W-H-L training camp.

There will be 48 players taking part…six goaltenders, 16 defencemen and 26 forwards. There are no 15-year-olds, hence the smaller camp number, as the 2006 Prospects Draft won’t be held until December because of COVID-19. Also, because of the novel coronavirus, fans who wish to attend Blue and Gold camp must wear a mask inside SaskTel Centre. Masks will be available at the front doors. Following last week’s passing of long-time Blades’ locker room attendant Bobby Kirkness, the 48 players are being split into three teams for the Kirkness Cup scrimmage tournament, the teams being named after close family members of Bobby Kirkness…Rhonda, Meagan and Brennan. Saskatoon will not have four players taking part in practices Thursday and scrimmage games Friday and Saturday as import forwards Yegor Sidorov and Moritz Elias won’t arrive until September 20th or so while forward Colton Dach and defenceman Rhett Rhinehart will be attending the N-H-L training camps of Chicago and Colorado, respectively. One player who will be here, after opting out of playing in the Regina hub back in March and April, is 18-year-old centre Jayden Wiens. Following is the news release from the Blades…

Meanwhile, the Prince Albert Raiders will, also, begin training camp scrimmages on Thursday and Friday at the Art Hauser Centre.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SASKATOON, SK — The Saskatoon Blades are excited to announce the schedule for the 2021
training camp, presented by Motion Fitness, which will run Thursday, September 9th until
Saturday, September 11th.
The 48-man roster is being split into three different teams, each to be named after three close
family members (Rhonda, Meagan, and Brennan) of the late Bobby Kirkness, the clubs’ longtime locker room attendant who passed away last week from cancer.
The three-day camp begins with registration at 3:00pm on Thursday, followed by ice sessions for
each team beginning at 5:00pm. All practices and games will take place at SaskTel Centre and
are open to the public. Masks are required for fans and patrons at all times, and will be available
at the front doors.
All three teams will compete for the coveted Kirkness Cup, with games beginning Friday
morning at 10:00am (Team Rhonda vs. Team Meagan). The Kirkness Cup Final will serve as the
official wrap-up for Training Camp, and is scheduled for Saturday evening at 6:30pm.
In what will be the Blades’ first public training camp in two years, fans will get their first glimpse
of many new players, including 2020 first-round pick Tanner Molendyk, and newly acquired
forward Brendan Lee. San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins and fan-favourite goaltender
Nolan Maier will also take part in the action.
Thursday, September 9
• 5:00pm – 6:00pm — Team Rhonda practice
• 6:30pm – 7:30pm — Team Meagan practice
• 8:00pm – 9:00pm — Team Brennan practice
Friday, September 10
• GAME — Team Rhonda vs. Team Meagan
o 10:00am – 11:15am
• GAME — Team Rhonda vs. Team Brennan
o 11:45am – 1:00pm
• GAME — Team Meagan vs. Team Brennan
o 4:30pm – 5:45pm
• GAME — Team Rhonda vs. Team Meagan
o 6:15pm – 7:30pm
Saturday, September 11
• GAME — Team Meagan vs. Team Brennan
o 10:00am – 11:15am
• GAME — Team Rhonda vs. Team Brennan
o 11:45am – 1:00pm
• GAME — 2nd Place vs. 3rd Place (1st Place receives bye to the Kirkness Cup Final)
o 4:30pm – 5:45pm
• KIRKNESS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
o 6:30pm – 7:45pm
The Saskatoon Blades will be following all public health guidelines outlined by SaskTel Centre
and Saskatchewan Health authorities.
Camp roster sheets and lineups will be available at the front door upon arrival.
ROSTER NOTES: Import forwards Yegor Sidorov and Moritz Elias will not be in attendance
for training camp, however are expected to join the team prior to September 20th. NHL camp
invites Colton Dach (Chicago Blackhawks) and Rhett Rhinehart (Colorado Avalanche) will also
not be in attendance.