It was the trade that was expected to happen, but the destination wasn’t pinned down for sure until late Monday afternoon when the Saskatoon Blades traded 19-year-old, fifth-year defenceman Tanner Molendyk (pictured) to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The McBride, B-C, product is joined in the deal by 19-year-old centre Misha Volotovskii with the Bridge City Bunch receiving a pair of 17-year-old sophomores in forward Hayden Harsanyi and defenceman Jack Kachkowski. In addition, the Blue and Gold receive five picks in upcoming W-H-L Prospect Drafts – a first rounder in 2025, a second rounder in 2025, a third rounder in 2026, a fourth rounder in 2026 and a fifth rounder in 2026. A first round N-H-L Draft choice in 2023 by Nashville, Molendyk leaves the Blades after playing 210 games with 26 goals amongst 134 points. The 6-foot, 181-pound blueliner had four goals amongst 21 points in 21 games with Saskatoon this season. Volotovskii was in his fourth season with the Bridge City Bunch, playing 195 games with 19 goals amongst 35 points. The Calgary product had four goals amongst 11 points while playing in all 37 Blue and Gold games this season. Combined with the earlier trade Monday, in which the Blades acquired 17-year-old forward and Martensville product Kazden Mathies from Seattle for a fifth round selection in the 2027 Prospects Draft and the deal from last Thursday in which the Blades sent Brandon Lisowsky to Victoria for fellow 20-year-old left winger Tanner Scott plus second round picks in each of the 2025 and 2026 W-H-L Prospects Drafts, Saskatoon has re-stocked their draft pick cupboard a bit while giving them 10 players born in 2007 on their roster. Calgary product Harsanyi has been sidelined by a Lower Body injury since October 11 and has a goal and three assists in seven games this season after posting 12 goals amongst 28 points as a 16-year-old rookie. Kachkowski has eight assists in 37 games with Med Hat this season after posting a goal and four assists in 27 games as a 16-year-old rookie. Mathies, Harsanyi and Kachkowski are all expected to join the Bridge City Bunch Tuesday in Red Deer. Following is the news release from the Blades…..

Saskatoon, SK – A new era of Blades hockey is upon the Bridge City Bunch.

The Saskatoon Blades completed a blockbuster deal Monday evening with the Medicine Hat Tigers to usher in the next wave of Blades hockey. The Blades acquired 2007-born forward Hayden Harsanyi, 2007-born defenceman Jack Kachkowski, and five WHL Prospects Draft picks in exchange for Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk and 2005-born forward Misha Volotovskii. The picks coming Saskatoon’s way include:

• 2025 1st Round Pick (MH)
• 2025 2nd Round Pick (POR)
• 2026 3rd Round Pick (MH)
• 2026 4th Round Pick (MH)
• 2028 5th Round Pick (MH)

“This is one of the hardest deals we’ve ever had to make,” said Blades general manager and president, Colin Priestner, “Not only did Tanner give us some of the best seasons ever played by a Blades defender, but he also almost single-handedly gives us an entire WHL Draft worth of picks back to build our future around, as well as two outstanding 17-year-old players. For these gifts, there are almost no words we can use to thank him. He’s one of the most special players we’ve ever had, and I’m so excited for him to have chance to finish his WHL career on a Tigers team loaded with high-end talent.”

Molendyk finishes his time in Saskatoon with 210 career games as a member of the Blue and Gold. The McBride, BC product was drafted by the Blades fifth overall at the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, scoring 26 goals, 108 assists, for 134 points in his WHL career. Molendyk was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the first round (24th overall) at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, signing just days later. Molendyk’s cracked the last two Team Canada World Junior Championship rosters, serving as an alternate captain this past holiday season in Ottawa at the 2025 tournament.

“Tanner is one of the greatest Blades to ever put on the jersey, bar none,” said Priestner, “His brilliance for five seasons on the ice goes without saying, but it is how he treated every single person he came into contact with, from his teammates to his coaches and our fans that I want everyone to know. His 40 playoff games playing huge minutes and dominating both sides of the ice with his incredible skating stride and warrior mentality will be etched into the minds of young Blades fans for years to come.”

“No player will be wearing the number 24 ever again for this club. Tanner set the standard that all future Blades defencemen should aspire to both on and off the ice.

Volotovskii, a Calgary, AB native, played 195 career games with the Blades after being drafted in the fourth round (77th overall) in 2020. The 6-foot-2 centre scored 19 goals and 16 assists in his tenure with the Blades. Both he and Molendyk helped the Blades to back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances in 2023 and 2024.

“Misha was one of our most reliable, shutdown forwards for the past four years,” said Priestner, “He did a lot of unglamorous work for us during his time as a Blade, such as checking the teams’ best centres, penalty killing, and defending leads with fearless shot blocking. We want to thank Volo for his four years of service with us, and wish him all the best in Medicine Hat.”

The Blades want to thank both Tanner and Misha for their contributions to the organization for the past four seasons, and wish them all the best in Medicine Hat.

“There was simply no way we would have traded Tanner without Hayden and Jack in the deal, and we’re absolutely thrilled to have them,” said Priestner, “Hayden is one of the most exciting 2007-born players in the WHL, and his combination of speed and skill will be something our fans will love watching over the next many years in Saskatoon. He has all the tools and the mindset to be an elite WHL scorer, and his tenacity will make him a fan-favourite day one. He has just come off a three-month injury and is fully healed and cleared to play in Red Deer on Tuesday.”

Forward Hayden Harsanyi with the Medicine Hat Tigers

Harsanyi, a Calgary, AB native, was drafted in the first round (16th overall) by the Tigers in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. The skilled winger scored 12 goals and 16 assists in 68 games last season with the Tigers as a 16-year-old rookie. Prior to his injury to begin the season, Harsanyi had one goal and three assists in seven games with Medicine Hat. The budding young superstar got a taste of playoff action last spring with five games against the Red Deer Rebels in Round 1, scoring one goal in the series.

Kachkowski, born in St. Albert, AB, brings size and structure on the backend. The right-handed shot was selected by the Tigers in the fifth round (89th overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. The 6-foot blueliner dressed in 27 games during his rookie year last season with the Tigers, scoring one goal and four assists, while finishing at a +2. Kachkowski’s appeared in 37 games for the Tigers this year, notching eight assists, a +4 rating, and 23 penalty minutes. Kachkowski also brings four games of playoff experience from last spring’s series against the Rebels, dishing one helper in the five-game series. In his WHL draft year, Kachkowski helped capture the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) U15 Championship and was named the playoff MVP of that run. He also earned a AEHL U15 First All-Star Team nod that season.

Defenceman Jack Kachkowski with the Medicine Hat Tigers

“Jack was a top ten talent in his bantam draft class, but his commitment to NCAA pushed his draft position to later in the day,” said Priestner, “He has all the tools to be a top-four defensemen for us in the future, and his all around game has improved immensely this year with Medicine Hat. With Hayden, and Kazden Mathies earlier today, these three have made our 2007 group one of the best we’ve had in years.”

The Blades want to welcome the Harsanyi and Kachkowski families to Blade City, and look forward to working with both Hayden and Jack on continuing their development under the guidance of head coach Dan DaSilva’s staff.