It’s my Parting Shot for a Q and A on the Saskatoon Blades at the Christmas Break…..

Question 1 – there’s a lot of chatter about the Blades being sellers before the W-H-L trade deadline on January 9. Why would they do that when they lead the East Division and are just a point out of first in the Eastern Conference? Answer – because, in going all-in over the last two seasons to win a title, Saskatoon has very few draft picks, especially in the next two drafts – no picks until the fourth round in 2025 and no picks until the eighth round in 2026!

Question 2 – who would be sold off to get those picks back? Answer – by all accounts around the W-H-L, the Bridge City Bunch’s prime asset is defenceman Tanner Molendyk. That means he likely played his last game with the Blue and Gold on December 7 before heading to Ottawa for Team Canada junior selection camp and the World Juniors!

Question 3 – any other possible players who could be dealt for picks? Answer – all three of the Blades’ 20-year-olds could be in play with high-scoring Brandon Lisowsky more likely to be moved than captain Ben Saunderson or fellow defenceman Grayden Siepmann. Less likely to be traded, but who certainly bring a handsome return, are goaltender Evan Gardner and leading scorer Ben Riche. In my mind, Saskatoon can’t have a fire sale because they run the risk of missing the playoffs altogether and disrupting the dressing room culture that has been so carefully built over the last six-and-a-half seasons!

Question 4 – Why can’t the Blades stand pat with what they’ve got or even add a piece or two? Don’t they owe it to their long-suffering fan base who have never seen a championship in the 61-year history of the franchise? Answer – they could, but be ready for a return of the post-2013 Memorial Cup hosting seasons where it took the Bridge City Bunch five seasons of being out of the post-season before they were able to build up the necessary draft picks and prospects to contend just to be in the playoffs again! I don’t think anybody wants that, especially if they go for it and don’t win the title this season!!

Question 5 – how certain is the Blades’ broadcaster that his answers are correct? Answer – not at all! That’s why I’m the broadcaster and the people in the hockey ops offices and board rooms are the ones making the decisions!! We’ll see what happens before January 9.

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!