The 2015-16 season was a memorable one for the Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey program, as they won their 15th Canada West conference championship and their first title in four years.
However, after they lost in the University Cup semifinal to the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in triple overtime, the goal for returning players Cameron Blair and Jordan Fransoo is a simple one.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a returning player like us or one of the new guys on the team,” Blair said. “Our goal is to win our last game of the year this season, especially since we didn’t reach our end goal at the University Cup in Halifax back in March.”
“The expectations for our team has changed a lot in the last year,” Fransoo added. “We’re viewed as a top contender nationally and there’s a winning attitude that’s here now, which is something I’ve noticed right away with our entire team.”
The Huskies, who are currently ranked third nationally, have a 3-1 record heading into a pair of games this weekend against the Lethbridge Pronghorns in Saskatoon.
“We swept the opening series at home against UBC a couple of weeks ago and it’s always huge when you go into Edmonton and squeak out a win against Alberta,” Blair said. “That was the first time that anyone on this team has beaten Alberta in their rink, so I expect that to be a huge building block for us as the year goes along.”
Blair, who is from Drake and is in his junior season with the Huskies after finishing up his junior hockey career with the Battlefords North Stars in 2014, has a pair of assists in two games this season.
“It’s been a little bit of a different year for me so far,” Blair said. “After playing in every game last year, I haven’t been in the lineup every night and my linemates are all over the map.
“That makes things tough at times, but my plans are to stay focused and keep getting better. That’s what’s worked for me in my entire career.”
Fransoo, meanwhile, is paired up with Connor Cox on defence for the third year in a row.
The North Battleford product and former WHL blueliner has a pair of goals and an assist so far this season.
“The hardest thing about playing at this level is getting back into a routine of keeping up with the pace of the game and being smart out on the ice,” Fransoo said. “I’ve been able to do that at the start of this season and I’m really happy about that.
“Having Connor with me once again helps. We’ve built up a really good chemistry over the last couple of years and we really compliment each other out there.”
While both players are focused on helping the Huskies win their second national title, and their first since 1983, they are also excited about the future of the program.
Last Thursday, the University of Saskathewan received a $12.25 million contribution from commerce and law graduate Merlis Belsher to help fund a new twin-ice facility on campus.
While the construction timeline and opening date has yet to be determined for the Huskies new home, the Merlis Belsher Place will replace the Rutherford Rink, which was opened in 1929.
“It’s going to be really exciting for everyone involved with the program,” Blair said. “Our current rink is pretty small, so to have the team go into a bigger rink will be huge for our fans.”
“It’s something that’s long overdue for our school and it will help to promote the hockey side of Huskies athletics even more,” Fransoo added. “It’s also huge for minor hockey in Saskatoon as it will be a nice facility for everyone to use.”
