It’s January 17…and the Saskatoon Blades will, finally, play their first game of the regular-season against Swift Current!

Between four new players from the trade deadline, injuries and midget-age call-ups…it’s been like a mid-season training camp for the Bridge City Bunch since they last played Saturday.

Caiden Daley will make his Blue and Gold debut Friday after being acquired from Regina a week ago, just before the trade deadline. Daley’s first game with the Blades was delayed while his equipment was on a North American tour through an airline’s baggage system. For Daley, fellow 19-year-old forward Martin Fasko-Rudas, centre Evan Patrician and defenceman Rhett Rhinehart…they’ve had four full days of skating and learning what head coach Mitch Love and his staff have in place when it comes to structure, systems and expectations.

Saskatoon will be minus defencemen Charlie Wright and Matt Sanders Friday. Sixteen-year-old Wright missed last weekend with an Upper Body injury while 18-year-old Sanders sustained a Lower Body injury. Midget call-ups Marek Schneider and Spencer Shugrue have been skating with the Bridge City Bunch this week…as has Number 1 goaltender Nolan Maier who has missed the last three games with a Lower Body ailment.

The stretch run starts tonight for the Blades who are only 10 points out of first place in the W-H-L’s East Division with 27 games to play. Winnipeg leads the way with 53 points heading into the weekend, followed by the Prince Albert Raiders with 51 and Brandon third with 47. Saskatoon is in fourth place with 43 points from a 20-18-3 record.

Friday’s game opens a home-and-home series for the Blue and Gold with the Broncos. Game time is 7 o’clock with the broadcast on 98-COOL at 6 with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show. The return match is Saturday in Swift Current.