It’s my Parting Shot to discuss the latest travails of the Saskatoon Blades…..
I do this at the risk of upsetting people, but I’ve had this question for the last five to six weeks – which team are the Bridge City Bunch closer to being? Are they closer to the 9-3-o team from the first 12 games of the season that scored 48 goals and only allowed 34? Or, are they closer to the team that has gone 5-10-2 since then, while being out-scored 66-45?
Following Sunday’s 4-0 loss at home to Regina, who ended their own lengthy losing streak of seven games that day, the responses to the Blue and Gold’s Facebook post after the game resemble more of a “Chicken Little” mentality. For most of the respondents, the sky is falling and something has to happen in order to stop it! The suggestions range from player trades – big, blockbuster types – to firing head coach Dan Da Silva!
The latter suggestion makes me uneasy because I see how much time and effort Dan and his assistant coaches, Andrew Sarauer and Tye Scherger put into their jobs. I also see how well they seem to interact with the players, although I’m sure there are one or two guys – maybe more, but I doubt it – who aren’t big fans of the coaching staff when it comes to playing time or their role on the team. That happens on every team that isn’t a championship squad!
From my vantage point, which is a lot closer and more in tune with all aspects of the Blades’ team – meaning management, coaches, players, support staff, etcetera – I’m seeing a club that is trying not to lose instead of trying to win games!
There is a difference!! What I’m seeing is goal scoring – not good enough right now. Play without the puck – not good enough right now. Team defence – not good enough right now. Goaltending – not good enough right now. I think the coaches have this team prepared to play, but the group is fragile and has problems bouncing back from the first signs of adversity within a given game over the last 17 outings!
Team President and General Manager Colin Priestner told me last Thursday that he was prepared to stay the course with the make-up of the Saskatoon team as it currently is and assess where things are at as they get closer to the W-H-L’s trade deadline – which happens somewhere around January 10th! If anything happens before that, I will be surprised.
As for my answer to the question I posed at the start of this exercise, I’m still not sure who the Saskatoon Blades are!
Stay tuned!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!
