By Scott Fisher /

Going home after the opening round of the playoffs is tough to take for any team.

But after a brilliant regular season that saw the Saskatoon Blades bring home the Eastern Conference pennant for the first time since 1994, it hurts that much more.

But GM/head coach Lorne Molleken said his players have nothing to hang their heads about after losing in seven games to the seventh-seeded Lethbridge Hurricanes.

“Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short,” Molleken told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “But our players have nothing to be ashamed about. They played with a tremendous amount of character, as they have all year.

“This group has accomplished a lot and they’ve come a long way. They’ve set a foundation here for this franchise to be successful for many years.”

Overagers Colin Joe, Adam Chorneyko and Garrett Klotz, who already turned turned pro with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms, won’t be back wearing Blades blue.

The Blades have 19 players eligible to return next year, although not all of them will.

Eastern Conference goaltender of the year Braden Holtby will likely turn pro with the Washington Capitals organization. He joined the AHL’s Hershey Bears shortly after the Blades were eliminated.

Holtby is the Blades franchise leader in shutouts (7), games played (177) and saves (4,576). His 82 career victories are second only to former NHLer Tim Cheveldae’s 85.

And there could be as many as a half-dozen veterans vying for the club’s three overage spots.

Captain Derek Hulak and fellow forwards Milan Kytnar, Chris Langkow and Walker Wintoneak, along with blueliners Ryan Funk and Sam Klassen are all eligible to play as 20-year-olds.

“The only (eligible) guy who won’t return for sure is Braden Holtby,” Molleken, who recently completed his fifth season at the helm, told the StarPhoenix.

“I’ve talked to all of the (20-year-old candidates) and they’d all love to come back here as an overage player.”

Goaltender Adam Morrison, 18, will take over the starting gig between the pipes.

The new blood looks promising as well.

Sherwood Park Kings defenceman Duncan Siemens and Weyburn centre Brent Benson are expected to crack the roster next season as 16-year-old freshmen.

BLADES BITS

The WHL season might be over for the Blades, but not every player is packing up the equipment for the summer.

Winger Curtis Hamilton and defenceman Stefan Elliott were named to Canada’s roster for the under-18

world championship in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn.

— Scott Fisher covers the WHL for the Calgary Sun