Visit HockeySask.ca
2019 Inductees
Player
Murray "Bert" Olmstead
Murray “Bert” Olmstead grew up playing hockey in Sceptre, a small village located in southwestern Saskatchewan. Olmstead moved away from home in 1944 when he played Junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Canucks. Olmstead and the Canucks would challenge for two consecutive Memorial Cups, losing both times to the St. Michael’s Majors from Ontario. Following Olmstead’s Junior career, he had been assigned to the United States Hockey League’s Kansas City Pla-Mors. Olmstead…
Player
Ferdinand "Fernie" Flaman
Ferdinand “Fernie” Flaman was born in Dysart and raised in Regina early on. Starting out, Flaman played with a variety of Regina Minor hockey teams until 1943 when the Boston Olympics, a Boston Bruins’ farm team, enticed him to move to the United States. With Flaman’s help, the Olympics dominated the Eastern Amateur Hockey League from 1943 to 1946, capturing the league championship each year. Flaman would then make a stop with the Hershey Bears before moving on to the…
Player
Keith Magnuson
Keith Magnuson first came onto the hockey scene in Saskatchewan playing for the Saskatoon Blades in the 1964-65 season. Following just one season, Magnuson moved to the United States, playing for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) University of Denver Pioneers. In Denver, he would lead the Pioneers to two NCAA championships in 1968 and 1969. During this time, Keith would be chosen as a Western Collegiate Hockey Association First Team All-Star in 1966 and would receive…
Player
Curtis Leschyshyn
Curtis Leschyshyn began his Junior hockey career with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. The Manitoba-born defencemen spent three seasons playing for the Blades and during his final year in Saskatoon, accumulated 14 goals, 41 assists for 55 points in 56 regular-season games. Leschyshyn was selected to the WHL’s Eastern Conference All-Star team that season. Following a stellar finish to his Junior career, Leschyshyn would be selected third overall at the 1988…
Player
Brian Skrudland
Brian Skrudland grew up playing his minor hockey in Saskatoon, which led him to play for the hometown Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. After competing for three seasons in the blue and yellow, Skrudland finished his Junior career with 192 points. Despite a strong Junior career, Skrudland went undrafted in 1983 but would join the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the American Hockey League. After one year, the Voyageurs would relocate to Sherbrooke, Que., and in their inaugural year, would…
Player
Edward Charles "Ed" Van Impe
Edward Charles “Ed” Van Impe's hockey career began playing Junior with the Saskatoon Quakers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1956 to 1961. Van Impe was a tough, determined player that had a keen eye for the game. Consistently displaying these abilities allowed him to become one of the ultimate defensive-defencemen of his day. Van Impe began his minor-pro career playing for the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League. Van Impe spent five seasons in Buffalo…
Builder
Murray Armstrong
Murray Armstrong was born in Manor, Sask., on New Year’s Day, 1916. Armstrong’s Junior hockey career began with the Regina Pats, where he appeared in the 1933 Memorial Cup. Following his time in Regina, Armstrong had short stints in the Eastern Hockey League and in the International-American Hockey League (IAHL). During the 1936-37 season of the IAHL, Armstrong and the Syracuse Stars would claim the Calder Cup as league champions. It was during the 1937-38 season that Armstrong would…
Builder
Maxwell "Max" McNab
Maxwell “Max” McNab was born in 1924 in the town of Watson and grew up playing his Minor hockey in Saskatoon. During the years 1944 and 1945, McNab would serve in the military during the Second World War. Upon his return, McNab would play one season in 1945 with the Regina Caps before pursuing his NHL dream. Beginning with a few short stints in the United States Hockey League, International Hockey League and American Hockey League, McNab would finally receive the call-up to the…
Builder
William "Bill" Thon
William “Bill” Thon would begin his journey playing minor hockey in Saskatoon from 1950 to 1959. Thon would go on to play Senior men’s hockey up until 1970. Thon would then transition his focus from playing to developing when he embarked on his goal to enhance female hockey in Saskatchewan. In 1970, Thon founded the Melfort Missilettes, an all-female hockey team and a first of its kind in the area. Members of the team were made up of players aged 8 to 25 years. The team would…
Builder
Brodsky Family
The Brodsky Family were majority owners of the Saskatoon Blades’ Western Hockey League (WHL) franchise from 1976 to 1980. In 1980, the Brodsky family became sole owners of the Blades and would remain owners up until 2013. During this time, the Blades were six-time regular-season division champions, advanced to the WHL championship on two occasions, hosted the Memorial Cup in 1989 and 2013 as well as led the host committee for the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship. In 1989, the…
Official
Brad Watson
Brad Watson (Regina) began officiating in 1978 when he completed his official’s exam and started officiating level 1 hockey. He would make the move up to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League as a linesman in 1982. After two seasons, Watson continued his progressions, moving up to the Western Hockey League as a linesman in 1984. In the following seasons, Watson would gain multiple high-profile assignments including, linesman for the 1985 Air Canada Cup, the 1986 Memorial Cup, and the…
Grassroots
Jim McIntyre
Jim McIntyre began coaching minor hockey with the Saskatoon Contacts at the male Under-18 (U18) level. He would go on to purchase the club in 1980. McIntyre’s motto for the team stands as “Creating hockey players and citizens for tomorrow.” Jim McIntyre’s motto had one purpose; to prepare young men for both hockey and social lives. Throughout his years with the club, McIntyre would serve as owner, coach, league governor, bus driver, team manager, general manager,…
Grassroots
Joe Bloski
Joe Bloski started his coaching career in Saskatoon, beginning at the Novice level in 1961 and continuing through to Under-18 (U18). In 1970, Bloski was elected president of the Eastview Community Association in Saskatoon and played a successful leadership role in raising funds for the construction of two outdoor rinks with permanent boards and asphalt bases. During the 1970s, Bloski continued to coach and/or manage hockey teams in the Flyers zone of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association. In…
Team
2004-2005 Saskatoon Contacts
The 2004-05 edition of the Saskatoon Contacts was a strong and formidable opponent. The Contacts took the Saskatchewan Male “AAA” Hockey League (SMAAAHL) by storm, finishing with a regular-season record of 38 wins, three losses, two ties and one overtime loss. They were lead by a leadership group which included Team Captain Cody Danberg, along with assistant captains Brady Wacker, Ryan Adams and Scott Brownlee. Notable players on the roster that season included the likes of future…
Team
1967 Saskatoon Centennials
The 1967 Saskatoon Centennials (Team Saskatchewan) have been inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame in the Team category. The year 1967 was a unique year in Canada’s history as it marked the 100th year since Confederation. To commemorate this occasion, a national championship at the Under-18 age level named the Centennial Cup would be presented to the best hockey team in the country. Each province held their own playoffs to determine the representing team. In Saskatchewan,…
