A week and a half after flying out to Ohio to take part in his second career NHL training camp, Saskatoon Blades starting goaltender Evan Gardner has arrived back in the ‘Bridge City’ with a few new stories.
They include a handful of short conversations with fellow Columbus Blue Jackets top goaltending prospect Pyotr Andreyanov.
“He didn’t speak a lot of English and I didn’t speak a lot of Russian, but I thought we got along great,” said Gardner. “I threw in a few Russian swear words and he thought that was pretty funny, so I’d say we’re off to a pretty good start.”
Gardner, who was drafted in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Blue Jackets, has returned to the WHL after getting into a pre-season game with Columbus against the St. Louis Blues stopping six shots.
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Now, he’s back inside the Blades locker room for his third and potentially final season with the team with an air of confidence gained during his time surrounded by NHL veterans and prospects.
“I just really felt confident out there while I was there that whole time,” said Gardner. “I felt like I got my swagger when I was there and I would say I’m bringing that back, for sure.”
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Gardner’s return has solidified Saskatoon’s goaltending group for the 2025-26 WHL season, as he’ll lead the team’s netminders after going 23-13-5 in 44 games last season putting up a 2.82 goals against average, .911 save percentage and a trio of shutouts.
He’ll be joined on the big club once again by fellow 19-year-old Ethan McCallum, who was acquired by the Blades last October from the Medicine Hat Tigers, as well as prospects Taye Timmerman and Ryley Budd.
“I don’t think there’s competition in the league like we do,” said McCallum. “I think we do have one of the best goalies in the league and to have [Gardner] back now especially, that brings the competition up even more. It’s awesome, it just brings an extra level to practice every day.”
All four goaltenders got extended looks during the team’s pre-season schedule, with the team sending Budd to the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Bonnyville Pontiacs to compete in his first full season of junior hockey.
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At just 17 years of age, he’s expected to be a big part of the Blades future, according to head coach Dan DaSilva who emphasized the difficult decisions needed to pare down the goaltender from camp.
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“The goaltending depth here in the organization is great,” said DaSilva. “It’s a good problem to have. I don’t know if it’s really a problem, it just makes the decisions difficult and so we’re still monitoring that situation for sure. I think all four goalies are capable of playing in the league, being starters in the league at that.”
“We have tough decisions to make and time is going to tell.”
With Gardner off at Blue Jackets camp, the Blades kicked off the WHL season last weekend with a tandem of McCallum and Timmerman cracking the opening night roster against the Prince Albert Raiders.
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Following a 4-2 loss in their first game of the season in Prince Albert, the Blades responded with a 3-2 win in their home opener on Saturday capped off with a Brayden Klimpke overtime goal to secure their first win of the season.
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In that game, McCallum stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced, winning the team’s inaugural ‘Blade of the Game’ sword which is awarded by the players to the most selfless and deserving teammate each night.
“It’s an honour,” said McCallum. “I think last year it was more orientated towards player of the game and this year I think there’s a lot more meaning and impact behind that sword. To be given the first honours of it was pretty special and I couldn’t have done it without the guys in front of me.”
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McCallum has seen his confidence grow since being acquired by Saskatoon last fall, earning a string of starts late in the season with Gardner on the shelf with a knee injury to finish his first season with the Blades with a 3.26 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.
“I think it’s just a work in progress,” said McCallum. “I think as the years go on as you’re playing in the league you learn more and I think with the organization that I’m with right now have really helped me grow as a person. I think the whole mindset has changed. It’s just a game, have fun with it and just simplify it.”
As for Timmerman, he was sent down to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Warman Wolverines on Thursday with the return of Gardner into the fold.
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Starring last season for the Northern Manitoba Blizzard en route to being named Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoff MVP, Timmerman was able to parlay that success into a WHL contract.
That resiliency has caught DaSilva’s attention, noting the team will be watching his development in the SJHL closely in case he’ll need to be called back up.
“He hasn’t given us any reason to not feel confident in giving him a start,” said DaSilva. “Will that happen with Evan coming back? I’m not sure… but he definitely exudes confidence from the net, has made some big saves. He has not given us any reason to doubt that he wouldn’t be capable of playing in a regular season game.”
While the net will be primarily Gardner’s this season, the Blades boast one of the most promising goaltending rooms in the WHL which the Blue Jackets prospect believes will be in good hands.
“Obviously [Budd] and [Timmerman] are a little younger than me, so I’m just trying to help them out any way that I can,” said Gardner.
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“Staying in contact with them, just trying to help them out because it’s going to be their net soon.”
Visiting the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday night, the Blades (1-1) will wrap up their southern Alberta road swing on Saturday against the defending WHL champions in the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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