Credit Union Centre celebrates 25th anniversary with Blades

SASKATOON – Credit Union Centre (CUC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary Saturday evening as the Saskatoon Blades host the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

A 50/50 at the game will start at $25,000, there will be a $250,000 shootout for one lucky fan and kid’s tickets are only $2.50 tonight.

The Blades will go going for their eighth straight win and maybe even a team attendance record.

Here’s a look back at the 25-year relationship between the Saskatoon Blades and CUC.

Saskatchewan Place better known as ‘Sask Place’ officially opened its doors on Feb. 9, 1988. Since that time, world class events and chart-topping musicians have been hosted by the Bridge City landmark.

The Blades hosted the Brandon Wheat Kings on Feb. 9th in front of almost 9,000 WHL fans.

“We walked out there and I just look around and I was in awe, I was shivering, I was shaking, I just thought I’d better get my head together and try and have a good game,” said former forward Kory Kucar at the Blades debut.

“It was a day of great anticipation, a day of great pride and we’re coming into the building and sitting down and I think we ended up being down 3 nothing to Brandon before we finally decided there was a hockey game on not just a big celebration,” said Jack Brodsky, Blades governor and co-owner.

The Blades were victorious that night, officially beginning a successful twenty-five year relationship with CUC.

Sask Place originally seated 7,800 and got up to 9,000 with added bleachers.

In 1991, the building hosted the World Junior Hockey Championship and capacity was raised to 11, 300, where is stayed until the 2010 world junior tournament.

“I think the building has held up quite well, it’s still in really good shape and there’s been a lot of changes lot of additions but it’s a great building, certainly a place we’re very proud to call home,” said Brodsky.

Now, the over the 100,000 square foot Credit Union Centre seats 15,000.

“You can see how it’s grown outside as far as the parking and with the seating capacity, where it could possibly go, tomorrow night we look forward to possibly breaking the record here for the Blades,” said Dave Struch, Blades forward from 1988 to 1992.   

The current attendance record for the team was set in 1990 with 12,341 hockey fans.

Twenty-four years after hosting the Memorial Cup, the Blades will do it again come May, looking to raise a national championship banner to the rafters for the first time in CUC history.

“It’s really stood the test of time obviously, it’s been around and it’s seen a lot of things and hopefully at the end of this season we can hoist the banner that says Memorial Cup champions on it,” said Curtis Leschyshyn, Blades defenceman from 1985 to 1988.

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