Whats Up With The Blades?

[Scout]

What's Up With the Blades??!!
Posted by Les Lazaruk on Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 09:45:00 AM.


It's my Parting Shot for a promised first weekend look at the Saskatoon Blades...

The Blades' 0-2 start to the new W.H.L. season has many die-hard Bridge City Bunch followers doing their best "Chicken Little" impersonations while the greater majority, who are casual fans taking a passing interest, are already giving up on this season!

To both groups I say, it's only one weekend...two games out of 72! But, I'm not naive to the fact that losing 5-2 and 6-1...the latter game at home...doesn't exactly spark a lot of interest in the local squad. Especially when the team appeared disinterested, something that shouldn't happen in the season-opener and home opener!

That doesn't mean the sky is falling to the die-hards, nor does that mean that the Blades are headed for another seven-win disaster, as was the case in 2003-2004. Sure, the two losses were to Brandon, a team that is supposed on the down-ward side of the junior hockey talent cycle. But, it's been said by many people around the league that the Wheat Kings could be an extreme darkhorse...and, they showed that to the Blades over the weekend!

The Blades have company in the winless category after two games...Prince Albert, Red Deer, Kootenay, Prince George, Portland and Everett are all in the same boat! Yes, I know they've all had at least one season of greater success than the Blades have had over the past 13 seasons...and, ultimately that's where the cynical attitude towards the team comes from in Saskatoon...What have you done for me lately?

Not much, but it's far too early to write them off for this season!

[WestLEAFfan]

When my wife and I were U of S students in the late 80's and early 90's we were avid fans and season ticket holders. If we lived in closer proximity to S'toon, we undoubtedly would be supporters and season ticket holders again. Come on people, it's good value for your entertainment dollar. Get out and cheer the boys, they don't intentionally set out to play poorly. Sometimes it just happens for one reason or another. They know they played poorly, we as fans really don't need to remind them of it. Cut the boys a break.

[hobster]

We are deffinityl not blaming the players if anyone blame the coaching, lorne mollecken needs too bring in another d-man for sure you can't let up 11 goals in 2 games to the team that is predicted too finish last in the east div this season, so what does he do too fix the problem he deals the only 19 year old d-man on the team, dumb move i hope he lands a new one soon or else this team is in trouble with a alot of road games coming up.

[Trav]

Someone mentioned how big the Blades are and that there was only one or two players under 6 feet. That person is right and not only that, majority of the Blades players are gritty type players. No pure scorers except for Hulak.

I like Molleken but really I think he's to much in to the gritty, physical style players. He needs to get some skilled players on to the team.

This is where Dansereau would be a great addition and really I dont care what the Blades have to pay but they do whatever it takes to get him. He's a proven goal scorer and would help the Blades score goals cuz right now they're not showing that they can score 4-5 goals a game.

They might be able to beat teams like PA, Moose Jaw whose defense's arent that great but they wont score as many goals as the Pats, Wheatkings, Hitmen, Tigers in my opinion.

If the Blades continue to play the way they are. It's going to be a very long year.

[hobster]

The thing with lorne is he is use too having the big physicle fowards thats what made him so succeseful in the early 90,s but this is differant hockey now and the rules are differant

[Trav]

Hope he realises that.

[westbeach55]

Someone mentioned how big the Blades are and that there was only one or two players under 6 feet. That person is right and not only that, majority of the Blades players are gritty type players. No pure scorers except for Hulak.

I like Molleken but really I think he's to much in to the gritty, physical style players. He needs to get some skilled players on to the team.

This is where Dansereau would be a great addition and really I dont care what the Blades have to pay but they do whatever it takes to get him. He's a proven goal scorer and would help the Blades score goals cuz right now they're not showing that they can score 4-5 goals a game.

They might be able to beat teams like PA, Moose Jaw whose defense's arent that great but they wont score as many goals as the Pats, Wheatkings, Hitmen, Tigers in my opinion.

If the Blades continue to play the way they are. It's going to be a very long year.




Well i have to Agree that Moleken seems to be looking for the big physical players which in hockey these days you can only afford to have a couple if any on a team. It seems like a few years back when the raiders took the blades out four straight and physically dominated them. Molekan went out and started drafting for size and strenght maybe missed some skill.

And by the way the raiders don't have any problems on Defence our problem is scoring up front. Maybe you guys can trade a couple forwards for Defencemen as we have an abudance of decent dmen right now