By Wes Gilbertson /

The Saskatoon Blades shared their home with the New York Islanders training camp hopefuls.

For the first couple weeks of September, the Western Hockey League club shared several of its stars with the big leagues, too.

With his Blades teammates scattered at training camps across the continent, Gaelan Patterson spent some time skating at the Saddledome with the rest of the Calgary Flames prospects.

“I saw guys like Jarome Iginla and Olli Jokinen and it was pretty cool to see them because you always see them on TV and since I was a young kid, they’ve been role models and idols of mine,” Patterson said. “It definitely is pretty cool to see them and to see that we’re really not that far away, we just have to keep working at it. It definitely is motivation.”

Patterson, who was selected in the seventh round of June’s NHL Entry Draft, wasn’t the only Blade getting a taste of what it takes to skate at the sport’s highest level.

Netminder Adam Morrison (Philadelphia Flyers), defencemen Stefan Elliott (Colorado Avalanche), Jyri Niemi (New York Islanders) and Teigan Zahn (Chicago Blackhawks) and forwards Burke Gallimore (Edmonton Oilers), Derek Hulak (Edmonton Oilers), Milan Kytnar (Edmonton Oilers) and Travis Toomey (Atlanta Thrashers) all attended pro camps before being returned to Saskatoon.

It’s obvious the NHL scouts think there’s plenty of talent on the ice at Credit Union Centre. Now, it’s up to the Blades to prove it.

“You can just see the guys coming back from the camps and the confidence that they have and what they bring back with them,” said Patterson, whose club opened with a convincing 5-1 win over the Regina Pats.

“This year, we’re going to be expected to do very well and I think everybody is ready for that and is feeling confident.”

The squad from Saskatoon had the second-best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference in 2008-09, but were bounced in the opening playoff round by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Another first-round exit would be a tough pill to swallow.

Patterson, too, is hoping to take another step forward.

He was a blueliner for the bulk of his minor hockey career and still takes great pride in keeping the puck out of his own net. This year, he wants to bulge the twine more often at the other end of the rink.

In 71 games last season, the 6-foot, 205-lb. centre notched 22 goals and 35 assists. Patterson also posted a +34 rating, the third-best on the team and tops among forwards.

Defensively, I’ve been pretty good the past couple years and offensively, I look to improve that this year improve my numbers. Basically, I just want to improve all-around, he said. I want to improve on my numbers but also stay defensive-minded.

Patterson, who was returned to junior after attended rookie camp at the Saddledome, is hoping to make Calgary his full-time hockey home in the future.

First, he has some unfinished business to take care of in his hometown of Saskatoon.

“With this team, a championship isn’t out of reach,” he said. “I think we’re capable of something like that.”