Sunday was “Garbage Bag Day” with the Saskatoon Blades as the 2021-22 edition of the W-H-L franchise cleaned out their lockers, participated in exit meetings with team management and coaches and said good-byes to team-mates.

For many, those good-byes were more like, see you in late August when the Bridge City Bunch’s 2022-23 training camp begins. However, for goaltender Nolan Maier, defenceman Rhett Rhinehart and centre Tristen Robins, it was their last official day of being a member of the Blue and Gold, having completed their overage major junior season.

The 2021-22 regular-season started about two weeks later than usual and it wound up a month later than normal, followed by playoffs which are on-going for the W-H-L. The delays are due to the COVID-19 pandemic with almost the entire Blades’ organization contracting the illness at some point between late December through early February. Despite that, Saskatoon put together a record of 38 wins, 26 losses and four extra time setbacks for 80 points, good for 3rd place in the East Division and 5th spot in the Eastern Conference. That was one point behind Moose Jaw, whom the Bridge City Bunch faced in the first round of the post-season. The Warriors, with home-ice advantage, won the first three games of the Eastern Conference quarter-final before subduing the Blue and Gold in five games, the series wrapping up back on Friday. It was the first season as Blades’ Head Coach for Brennan Sonne while Saskatoon President and General Manager Colin Priestner and his Hockey Operations staff put together a young, fast and skilled team that made the playoffs for a second straight season. It would’ve been a fourth straight season if not for the COVID-19 pandemic scrapping the 2020 and 2021 playoffs. Following is a two-part media scrum from Sunday with Priestner…..

Sonne joined the Bridge City Bunch in July after Mitch Love accepted a head coaching job with the Calgary Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate in Stockton, California. Following is Sonne’s year-end media scrum from Sunday…..

All three graduating overage players met with the media Sunday. For goaltender Maier, his five-year career with the Blue and Gold saw him win 122 games, a W-H-L record for goaltender wins, plus numerous other franchise goaltending records. Following is the media scrum with the Yorkton product…..

For centre Robins, who finished his career playing at far less than half speed due to a severe high ankle sprain, he produced 200 points in his time with the Blades…the 47th player in franchise history to achieve the milestone. Following is the media scrum with the second round San Jose Sharks’ draft pick…..

As for defenceman Rhinehart, he brought a physical presence, along with a flair for offence, after being acquired by Saskatoon at the January 10, 2020 trade deadline from Prince George. Following is the media scrum with the Lloydminster product…..

Aside from the graduating overage players, the Bridge City Bunch will be able to return 19 of 21 roster players plus all six affiliates who suited up during the regular-season. That includes Belarus import forward Egor Sidorov, who will spend the off-season in Saskatoon rather than return home and run the risk of not being able to return due to his home country’s assistance with Russia and their invasion of Ukraine. Sidorov scored 23 goals amongst 35 points in the regular-season, then added a goal and two helpers in the playoff series with Moose Jaw. The Blue and Gold have room for another import player for next season. However, the Blades have five players born in 2002 who are eligible to be overage players next season. Only three of defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere plus forwards Kyle Crnkovic, Josh Pillar, Noah Boyko and Josh Paulhus will be able to remain beyond October 15. Crnkovic led Saskatoon with 39 goals and 94 points in the regular season before adding two goals and three helpers against the Warriors in the playoffs.

See you in September!