Saskatchewan content rated high in upcoming NHL entry draft

NHL draft prospect Connor Bedard speaks to the media prior to Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights, June 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The province of Saskatchewan is no stranger to producing NHL talent.

Just one look at the 22 Saskatchewan-born players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, four players and general manager of the champion Vegas Golden Knights says this province builds hockey players.

And this year, four former members of the Saskatoon Contacts are preparing for Wednesday’s NHL Entry Draft: Riley Heidt, Caden Price, Kalan Lind and Braden Yager.

“It’s pretty cool to see all those guys make it this far, myself included,” said Riley Heidt, who plays for the Prince George Cougars in the WHL. “For all of us to be here together in Nashville is pretty special, and we’ll all be excited for each other.”

Heidt says his former teammates have the skills, but they also have an intangible quality to them.

“I think all of us have a bit of grit,” he said. “We maybe aren’t the easiest to play against sometimes, and I think that’s something we all take a bit of pride in.”

With the Contacts well-represented, the Saskatoon Blades have their own contingent of prospects rated to go as high as the first round.

Smooth-skating defenseman Tanner Molendyk and human highlight reel, Egor Sidorov are in Nashville preparing for the draft.

“Tanner Molendyk showed right away as a 15-year-old that he can skate with anybody,” said Blades play-by-play voice, Les Lazaruk. “As a result he’s just been able to hone that skill, and show off why he should certainly be considered in the first or the second round of this upcoming NHL draft.”

While Egor Sidorov isn’t from Saskatchewan, or Canada, he’s called Saskatoon home the last two years.

After 23 goals his first year, he put up 40 his second season with the Blades, and he’s making scouts regret passing on him in last year’s draft.

“This was his redemption tour, essentially, this past season,” Lazaruk told CTV News. “And all you have to do is look at the goal he scored against Red Deer in game six of the playoffs, on that one-handed shot.”

While the scouts have all the information they can gather, it becomes a waiting game for the players eagerly hoping for their name to be called.

But it’s also a change to sit down with family and appreciate how far they’ve come.

“I’m down here with my family and I think the nerves are just starting to kick in,” said Heidt. “Just over 24 hours away, it’s getting pretty crazy over here.”

“My mom’s going to bawl her eyes out when she sees me go wherever I go, if it’s first or second round she’s just going to have the same emotion no matter what,” said Molendyk. “So I think I’m most excited to see her face.”

“I can’t imagine there’s any better feeling for a young man who’s gone through all of that, and the parents who’ve gone through that with their son,” said Lazaruk.

“And I think it’s going to be quite the two days for Saskatoon kids, and Blades kids. And let’s throw in Terrell Goldsmith of the Prince Albert Raiders who will likely hear his name called. What the NHL folks will like about him, he’s big, skates well, and he’s nasty, and that’s the way the Raiders like him.”

The 2023 NHL Entry draft takes place in Nashville Wednesday night and Thursday.