Saskatoon Product Da Silva Re-Signs With Blades as Associate Coach for Two Seasons

The home-town content on the Blades’ coaching staff is making a move up the ladder.

Saskatoon product Dan Da Silva (pictured) re-signed with the Bridge City Bunch for two years Wednesday, but his title has been improved from assistant coach to associate coach under bench boss Brennan Sonne. Da Silva joined the Blue and Gold prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, following retirement from a 16-year professional playing career. The rest of the coaching staff includes assistants Wacey Rabbit and Jerome Engele plus goaltender coach Jeff Harvey and video coach Braeden Dahl. All will be busy this weekend as the Blades hold their first spring prospect camp in several years on Saturday and Sunday in Aberdeen. Following is the news release from the Blades…..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31: Blades re-up Dan DaSilva to two-year-deal, named associate coach

Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatoon Blades are thrilled to welcome back Dan DaSilva for two years as the club’s associate coach.

The 38-year-old Saskatoon, SK native joined the organization as an assistant coach ahead of the 2021-22 season, helping the club to an 86-41-7-2 record across two seasons. Prior to his coaching career, DaSilva played professionally for 16 seasons across numerous parts of the globe.

“I’m very happy to be coming back for another two years,” said DaSilva, “I’d like to thank the Priestner family and Steve Hildebrand for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. The organization has been unbelievable to me and my family over the past two years and so it was an easy decision to return for two more. I look forward to getting back to work with the coaching staff and players later this summer. We have a great group and I see big things happening over the next two seasons.”

DaSilva spent his three-year junior hockey career entirely in Portland, collecting 151 points (76G-75A) and 328 penalty minutes in 200 games for the Winterhawks. The former right winger played over eight seasons of his professional career with five different AHL squads — the Lowell Lock Monsters, Albany River Rats, Lake Erie Monsters, Worcester Sharks, and Houston Aeros. The Saskatoon-product’s journeyman career also took him overseas, lacing up for the Black Wings Linz of the ICE Hockey League in Austria, along with time in Russia’s KHL, Germany’s DEL, and the SL in Switzerland.

“Since day one, Dan has been a leader with his care and passion for the players,” said Blades head coach Brennan Sonne, “His positivity within the coaches office and in the dressing room is infectious, and his growth as a coach has been exponential. The best coaches are those that are simultaneously good people and good hockey minds, and when you already have one within your organization, you do your utmost to retain them.”

DaSilva rejoins Sonne’s coaching staff featuring assistant coach Wacey Rabbit, goaltending coach Jeff Harvey, assistant coach Jerome Engele, and video coach Braeden Dahl.

“We are thrilled to have retained and extended Dan, and look forward to working with him towards providing the highest standard of program for our players,” said Sonne.