The Saskatoon Blades are looking to end a four-year playoff drought heading into the 2017-18 Western Hockey League (WHL) season.
One area where the team is looking to improve is on the blue line.
READ MORE: Evan Fiala named Saskatoon Blades captain
The Blades have two experienced defencemen in NHL prospect Libor Hajek and captain Evan Fiala.
Two players head coach Dean Brockman is looking at to fill top-four roles are sophomores Mark Rubinchik and Jackson Caller.
“Any time you’re playing young guys and they’re playing a lot, and they got a lot of ice time last year, you got to find that consistency and now we’re counting on them not to have off-days,” Brockman said.
Rubinchik said the mid-season trade last year that brought Fiala to the Blades helped his game.
“He might be the reason I actually found my game later on, and he’s just a super good guy and honestly, he’s a great leader,” said Rubinchik, who played almost the whole second half of the season alongside Fiala.
READ MORE: Healthy Cameron Hebig facing new challenge with Saskatoon Blades
Caller is coming into his second season with more confidence.
“Coming into the league, I know as my first year I was a little uneasy about it, but as the season went on, I felt better, felt more confident” Caller said.
“Going into this season I feel great.”
The pair will get their first test in their new roles at home on Friday when the Blades take on the Swift Current Broncos to start the season.
The Blades announced on Monday that three players have been released, goalie Nolan Maier and defenceman Zach Johnson, both 16, and forward Cole Johnson, 19, bring the roster down to 26.
The team also said that Fiala will be back with the team in time for the home opener after being released from the Detroit Red Wings training camp.
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