Saskatoon Blades 2026-27 Roster Preview – The Hockey Writers – WHL

In 2024-25, the Saskatoon Blades surprised the Western Hockey League (WHL) by making the playoffs despite losing most of their core players from their 2024 Playoff run. Then, in 2025-26, the Blades defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings to advance to the second round despite being outmatched. So, what’s in store for the team this season?

“I do believe we have the bones of a championship team,” said Blades general manager and president Colin Priestner.

The Blades have established a pattern of improving every season, and if they can take another step forward, they will be right back where they were three years ago when they were favourites to take home their first Ed Chynoweth Cup. It won’t be easy, but in the rapidly changing landscape of junior hockey, anything is possible. With the start of the season just over a month away, let’s take a look at some of the changes the team has seen since they packed up in April.

Departing Players

Graduates

The Blades had two graduates from last season, Tyler Parr and Rowan Calvert. Both players were with the club for their full five years of eligibility and were core pieces of the team, so it was no surprise when the captaincy for 2025-26 came down to one of them. While Parr ended up with ‘C’, Calvert remained a big presence in the locker room.

Parr ended his WHL career with 285 games, the 12th most in franchise history, and 149 points. His best season came in 2024-25, when he put up 20 goals and 61 points in 66 games to lead the team, although his playoff run of seven points in 11 games in 2025-26 was a close second. Although he initially committed to Union College in New York, he decided to stay in Saskatoon a bit longer, joining the University of Saskatchewan for the 2026-27 season.

Calvert, a ninth-round selection in the 2020 WHL Draft, wasn’t expected to become a star, but his 31 goals last season made him the only player on the team to break the 30-goal plateau in the past two years. He was a clutch scorer throughout his career, but may be best remembered for his overtime goal against the Oil Kings to send Saskatoon into the second round. He’s set to play for the University of Maine Backbears in the NCAA this season alongside Blades teammate Brayden Klimpke’s older brother, Tanner.

NCAA Commitments

After not losing a single player in the inaugural year of the new NCAA rule change, the Blades will lose two ahead of 2026-27. Zach Olsen is expected to join Colorado College this season, while Tristan Doyle will attend Merrimack College.

Doyle joined the Blades in 2025-26 after the team lost two veterans on the blueline in Saunderson and Grayden Siepmann, leaving them with a very young defence. Although undersized, his three seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes proved that he was a reliable, two-way defender with speed to burn – exactly what Saskatoon needed. He was expected to stay in the WHL for his 20-year-old season, but after a late spot opened up at Merrimack, he informed the Blades that he was going to take it.

Olsen was one of the Blades’ most valuable players last season through his work ethic and willingness to do anything to help his team. It’s what made him a third-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in June, and he’ll now take his talents to Colorado College. While Olsen’s time in Saskatoon seems to have come to a close, there’s no question he has a great career ahead of him.

Going Pro

Few goalies have been as dominant for Saskatoon as Evan Gardner. Beginning his career as a rookie backup to Austin Elliott, he took over the crease during the 2024 WHL Playoffs and never looked back. After three seasons, he owns the highest single-season save percentage, the second-most shutouts, and the fourth-most wins in Blades history. Now he’ll take his talents to the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Cleveland Monsters, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ farm team. While he leaves a sizeable hole in the Blades’ crease, fans are sure to wish him well as he takes the next step in his career.

Gardner will likely see a familiar face throughout the season, although it will be at the other end of the ice. David Lewandowski looks like he’ll join the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, this season after a one-game preview at the end of 2025-26. The German star led the Blades with 65 points in the regular season and nine points in the playoffs, and he was one of Germany’s best players at the 2026 World Juniors. Clearly, he had nothing left to prove in the WHL, and with the NHL now allowing each team to have one 19-year-old in the AHL, Lewandowski appears to be the Oilers’ choice.

Back to Europe

After sporting three Germans on their roster, the Blades will have none for the 2026-27 season.

Dustin Willhöft was always a top performer for Germany at international competitions, but he struggled to find his game in the WHL. In his first season in North America, he finished with 12 points in 47 games. He was always one of the fastest players on the ice and never afraid to fight for the puck, but it just wasn’t a great fit for him, so he’s returning home to play pro with the Wolfsburg Grizzlies.

Joining him in the DEL is Elias Pul, who was acquired midseason by the Blades from the Spokane Chiefs and served as a strong middle-six forward, finishing with 11 points in 30 games and establishing himself as a physical, bottom-six role player who could do a little of everything. But he too didn’t have the smoothest transition to North American hockey, so he’ll join ERC Ingolstadt this season.

Trades

Derek Thurston was acquired early in the 2025-26 season to give the Blades blueline a bit more stability, but after just 12 games, he was placed on the long-term injury reserve due to a medical condition for the rest of the season. That led the Blades to trade him to the Vancouver Giants, which is much closer to his hometown of Delta, B.C.

“Derek went through an extremely difficult year with grace and positivity, and both parties felt it was better for him to continue his journey recovering in his hometown of Vancouver,” said Priestner. “We sincerely hope he will get back to the ice soon where he belongs.”

Following Thurston’s deal, the Blades dealt rookie goalie Ryley Budd to the Brandon Wheat Kings. At one time expected to take over the Blades’ crease from Garnder, the arrival of Martin Psohlavec complicated matters for the 18-year-old. Rather than have him fight for minutes alongside Taye Timmerman, Priestner once again decided to do right by the player and move him to a team that was looking for a starting goalie.

Here’s something you don’t see every day – on Aug. 15, the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) announced that they had acquired the rights to Mason Moreland. While it doesn’t happen often, a player can switch leagues if their rights aren’t held by any team in their original league. Moreland was initially selected by the Blades in the first round of the 2024 U.S. Import Draft, but had a tough rookie season in Canada, putting up just seven assists in 37 games for the Warman Wolverines. He did get two games in the WHL with the Blades, but went scoreless. With so many young players coming up, it seems that the Blades were OK at letting him try his luck elsewhere.

New Faces

Martin Psohlavec

The biggest name arriving in the Bridge City is Psohlavec, who was recently selected 62nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers at the 2026 NHL Draft before being taken 42nd by the Blades in the CHL Import Draft.

The 6-foot-5 Czech becomes the de facto starter for Saskatoon after the departure of Gardner and Budd, and he has the resume to back up that claim. He had the third-best SV% and the fourth-best GAA at the 2026 U18 World Junior Championship among goalies who started at least half their team’s games, which helped the Czechs claim the bronze medal over Latvia. Back home, he led the Czech U18 league with 42 starts and eight shutouts, and finished in the top five with a .928 SV% and a 1.92 GAA. Losing Gardner was always going to sting, but Psohlavec will make sure it’s a smooth transition.

Yegor Gusev

Joining Psohlavec from the 2026 Import Draft is Yegor Gusev, a 19-year-old Russian who finished the 2025-26 season with 51 points in 49 games in the Russian Junior League (MHL). While his point total was solid, his 27 goals put him among some of the best snipers in the league. Although his father, Vladimir Gusev, played a few seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) and ECHL, this is Yegor’s first foray into North American hockey, and he’ll become just the 10th Russian to suit up for the Blades.

Tyrone Sobry

After Doyle’s sudden departure, the Blades quickly acquired veteran defender Tyrone Sobry from the Prince George Cougars, who will fill Doyle’s 20-year-old spot. This will be Sobry’s second tour with the Blades

Tristan Petersen

The Blades’ final import spot will be filled by 20-year-old waiver claim Tristan Petersen, who played the last two seasons with the Penticton Vees. He was solid in the team’s first WHL season, putting up 18 goals and 36 points in 63 games, and had the Vees not been inundated with 2006-born players, he would have been a great candidate to provide leadership to the newcomers. However, Penticton’s loss is Saskatoon’s gain, giving the Blades a very solid overager alongside Hunter Laing and Sobry.

Petersen’s acquisition also fills the Blades’ last import spot, all but confirming the departure of Lewandowski. If the NHL cannot ratify the new AHL rule, the Blades might be in a bit of a pickle, but that’s a problem for a later day.

Gavin Andersen

The final newcomer is Gavin Andersen from Minnesota, a 2009-born forward who has the Blades very excited. “Over the last year, he put up numbers with Warroad High School not seen since TJ Oshie and led them to an incredible state championship title as a 16-year-old,” said Priestner after signing the teenager. “We think he can step in and use his dynamic speed and skill set right away to help us win games as he gets accustomed to the WHL pace and style.”

Andersen’s 73 points in 31 games were the third-highest total from any U17 player in the Minnesota High School hockey system, and on top of a state championship, he was named to the first all-star team and the All-Tournament Team

Possible Rookies

The WHL is shifting younger, and the Blades have a strong group of 16- and 17-year-olds waiting on the wings. The cream of the crop is arguably Kain Martinuik, Saskatoon’s first-round pick in 2025 who was recently invited to Canada’s U17 Development Camp this past July. He was a top goalscorer for Shattuck St. Mary’s U14 and U16 programs, tallying 73 across 108 games with the program. He’s expected to start with the Blades this season.

Joining him could be fellow 16-year-olds Luke Dumas, who was acquired from Prince George in the Ben Riche trade in 2024-25, and Noah Fowler. Dumas appeared in 13 games with the Blades last season while Kaden Allan and Jordan Martin were out with injuries, putting up two assists. Fowler only saw one game in Saskatoon but was named to the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s (CSSHL) BC Top Freshman Team.

The Blades’ crop of incoming 17-year-olds includes forwards Adam Halat, Jagger John, and Cohen Lewko, and defenceman Julian Revel, all of whom saw WHL action last season. Of the 2009 group, Lewko was given the longest stint, playing 15 games and scoring his first WHL goal, giving him an advantage to secure a roster spot out of training camp, but all four have the talent to be impactful players.

Timmerman may be older for a rookie, but the 19-year-old is expected to serve as Psohlavec’s backup after spending all but two games last season with the Wolverines. The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s (SJHL) newest club had a rough season, and Timmerman finished with a 6-13-4 record and a .871 SV% over 24 starts, but that is more of a reflection on the team in front of him. As a backup with the Blades, he’ll be a bit more sheltered, allowing the 19-year-old to develop at his own pace.

2026-27 Outlook

It’s always difficult to predict how junior hockey will shake out, but the Blades have a great chance to emerge as a top Eastern team. Their toughest competitors all lost key parts of their roster: Markus and Liam Ruck, Daxon Rudolph, Max Curran, Ethan MacKenzie, Blake Fiddler, and Kale Dach will be playing in the NCAA this season, while Adam Jecho, Miroslav Holinka, Bryce Pickford, and Braeden Cootes will turn pro alongside Gardner. Saskatoon didn’t get off scot-free, but replacing Gardner with Psohlavec, while Gusev could take Olsen’s place as a top-six forward. That might be just enough to get them their first WHL Championship.