Saskatoon Blades’ right winger Egor Sidorov (pictured above) and goaltender Evan Gardner (pictured below) have claimed two of the three weekly W-H-L player awards.

Sidorov is the Player-of-the-Week after potting five goals amongst eight points in three Bridge City Bunch victories. Gardner is the Rookie-of-the-Week after turning aside 63 of 65 shots in two of the wins. The Blue and Gold return to action Tuesday when they welcome Lethbridge to SaskTel Centre at 7 o’clock. Following are the news releases from the Blades and the W-H-L…..

Feb. 5: Sidorov named Tempo WHL Player of the Week

Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Blades forward Egor Sidorov has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for his efforts between Jan. 29th – Feb. 4th. The league announced Sidorov as the winner Monday afternoon.

The Anaheim Ducks draft pick led the way offensively with five goals and eight points as the Blades extended their lead on first in the WHL with a 3-0-0-0 week at SaskTel Centre.

Sidorov earned second star honours after a three-point performance (1G, 2A) in Wednesday’s 9-1 thumping against the Regina Pats. The Belarusian machine followed it up with a pair of goals and an assist Friday against the Central Division’s top Medicine Hat Tigers. Sidorov’s opening goal of the game and insurance marker into the empty net late in the third period helped lift the Blades to a 5-2 win in front of 6,385 fans on home ice.

The 6-foot sniper set a new career-high in goals with 41 after he collected a pair in Sunday’s 3-1 win against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Sidorov lit the lamp first for his team once again and notched the game-winner with his team-leading 13th powerplay goal in the second period. Sidorov leads the team in goals and is second in the WHL behind only Prince George Cougars forward Zac Funk with 46. In his third WHL season, the 19-year-old winger has 68 points in 48 games, second on the team after captain Trevor Wong (13G, 67A). Sidorov’s on pace to beat his career-high in points of 76 set last year in 53 games.

The Blades have won ten straight games on home ice, helping them boast the best home record in the CHL at 21-1-1-0. Saskatoon is first in the WHL with 77 points, six points up on the second-place Portland Winterhawks.

Ranked first in the latest CHL Top 10 rankings, the Blades finish off their season-high seven-game home-stand this week with a game Tuesday, February 5th against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday, February 9th. The Blue and Gold head to Swift Current on Saturday, February 10th for a tilt against the Broncos.

Puck drop for all three games is 7:00pm CT.

Feb. 5: Gardner named WHL Rookie of the Week

Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Blades netminder Evan Gardner has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for his performance between Jan. 29th and Feb. 4th. The league announced Gardner as the winner Monday afternoon.

The NHL draft-eligible goalie went 2-0-0-0 on the week at SaskTel Centre, posting a 1.00 goals-against-average and .969 save-percentage.

Gardner turned aside 30-of-31 shots in the team’s 9-1 victory over the Regina Pats on Wednesday, January 31st. The Fort St. John, BC native was sharp early stopping 15 shots in the first period.

The 6-foot-2 netminder was named first star Sunday in a 3-1 win against the Brandon Wheat Kings, stopping a career-high 33 shots to extend the Blades’ home win streak to ten games.

The 18-year-old sports a 14-5-0-2 record with a 2.03 goals-against-average and a .927 save-percentage, both second in the WHL.

The Blades boast the best home record in the CHL at 21-1-1-0. Saskatoon is first in the WHL with 77 points, six points up on the second-place Portland Winterhawks.

Puck drop for all three games is 7:00pm CT.

ANAHEIM DUCKS PROSPECT SIDOROV NAMED TEMPO WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Egor Sidorov of the Saskatoon Blades has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 4, 2024.

The Anaheim Ducks prospect led all WHLers with five goals in three games and tacked on three assists and a plus-3 rating for good measure.

Sidorov kicked off his week by chipping the puck and slipping past a Regina defenceman to bear down on the Pats net and rip his 100^th career WHL goal home on January 31. He’d add a pair of assists in a 9-1 blowout en route to earning second star of the game.

The 6-foot, 180-pound winger hit another level in a big test against the Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers on February 2. In the first period, while trailing 1-0, Sidorov completed a tic-tac-toe play with Brandon Lisowsky and Trevor Wong to level the match on Saskatoon’s first shot of the game. Wong would give the Blades the lead on the powerplay five minutes later by tipping Sidorov’s point shot home. The Vitebsk, Belarus product capped off his night with an empty-net goal and another second star recognition.

Sidorov got things started in a hurry in a February 4 matinee against Brandon. Just over a minute into the game, Sidorov gloved down a loose puck and casually buried his 40^th goal of the season with a backhand shot into the Wheat Kings’ net. The third-year Blade followed it up by netting his league-leading tenth game-winning goal of the season with a give-and-go one-timer on the powerplay. The eventual 3-1 victory also saw Sidorov complete a hat trick of second star awards on the week.

Sidorov has eclipsed his previous career-best goal total with 41 lamp-lighters and 27 assists for 68 points and a plus-14 rating in 48 games this season. He’s currently riding a five-game point streak that’s seen him wrack up six goals and five assists.

The Blades star was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round, 85^th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Saskatoon (36-9-2-3) sits first in the WHL and has suffered just one regulation loss in its last 27 games (21-1-2-3).

The Blades host Lethbridge (24-20-3-0) at the SaskTel Centre on February 6.

2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
January 29, 2024: Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary Hitmen
January 22, 2024: Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
January 15, 2024: Matthew Savoie, Moose Jaw Warriors (Buffalo Sabres)
January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs
December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips
December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)
November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades
October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars

BOSTON BRUINS PROSPECT DYCK NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Swift Current Broncos netminder Reid Dyck has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 4, 2024.

The Boston Bruins prospect had a 2-0-1-0 week, posting a pristine .85 goals-against average, a .970 save percentage and two shutouts.

Dyck helped the Broncos snap a four-game winless streak with his first shutout of the season against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on January 31. His 28-save performance included a brilliant sprawling glove save on a Kooper Gizowski shot. The Winkler, Man. Product was rewarded for his efforts as the second star of the game.

The 6-foot-4, 193-pound netminder followed it up with another airtight performance against the Regina Pats. Dyck stayed in position to rob Tanner Howe on a point-blank shot in the slot and preserve a 3-0 victory for the Broncos with 26 saves and a first star recognition.

This marks the first time a Broncos goaltender has recorded back-to-back shutouts since Landon Bow earned clean sheets against the Kootenay Ice (5-0) and Tri-City Americans (2-0) in the 2014-15 regular season.

Dyck closed out the week with a relief appearance against Brandon, where he stopped nine of 10 shots in the third period before the Wheat Kings nailed the overtime winner.

The Broncos’ 2019 third-round pick is enjoying a career-best WHL season with an 11-6-1-0 record, a 2.84 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.

Dyck was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round, 183^rd overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

The Broncos have points in seven of their past 10 games (5-3-2-0) to sit third in the Central Division.

Swift Current (24-18-4-2) continues a five-game homestand when it hosts Red Deer (27-15-1-6) on February 6.

2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
January 29, 2024: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
January 22, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 15, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels
November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild
October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels
October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips
September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders

2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE NETMINDER GARDNER NAMED KAL TIRE WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Evan Gardner of the Saskatoon Blades has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending February 4, 2024.

The 17-year-old went 2-0-0-0 this week, putting up a paltry 1.00 goals-against average and .969 save percentage.

Gardner first got the call against the provincial rival Regina Pats on January 31. The 6-foot-2, 174-pound netminder turned aside 30 of 31 shots and held the Pats scoreless on three powerplay attempts to seal third star and a 9-1 win.

He followed that up with a stunning 3-1 performance against Brandon on February 4. Gardner stopped a season-high 33 shots, highlighted by a sharp glove save to deny a wide-open Rylen Roersma on the doorstep and a pair of scramble stops on Joby Baumuller as the Wheat Kings fought to tie the game. Gardner was named first star of the game for the fourth time this season.

The Fort St. John, B.C. product is 14-5-0-2 in his first major junior season and is second among all WHL goaltenders in goals-against average (2.03) and save percentage (.927) with a pair of shutouts.

Gardner, who is eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, is ranked 16^th among all North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting Service.
Saskatoon (36-9-2-3) leads the WHL with points in nine of its past 10 games and is currently ranked first in the CHL Top 10.

The Blades will close out a seven-game homestand this week with matches against Lethbridge (24-20-3-0) and Prince Albert (22-24-1-3) on tap.

2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
January 29, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 22, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 15, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 8, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 2, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
December 18, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
December 11, 2023: Max Curran, Tri-City Americans
December 4, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
November 27, 2023: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 20, 2023: Dakota MacIntosh, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 13, 2023: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
November 6, 2023: Ethan McCallum, Medicine Hat Tigers
October 30, 2023: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (NHL CSS: C)
October 23, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 16, 2023: Ty Coupland, Swift Current Broncos
October 10, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 2, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
September 25, 2023: Oscar Lovsin, Wenatchee Wild