By John MacNeil /

A neck injury kept promising rookie defenceman Duncan Siemens back in Saskatoon when the Blades travelled to Brandon to face the Wheat Kings in an October battle of WHL contenders.

But as they shoot for a May trip to Brandon for the Memorial Cup, the Blades are counting on a big contribution from the 16-year-old Siemens, a man-child already making his mark in the WHL.

“It’s nice to have the confidence of the team and the coaches, too,” said Siemens, the third-overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft, behind Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels and Ty Rattie of the Portland Winterhawks.

“It just shows that they believe and trust in us. It’s nice having that feeling behind you.”

Saskatoon coach and general manager Lorne Molleken showed so much confidence in Siemens and fellow freshman Dalton Thrower that the Blades made them defence partners early this season.

“It’s good, because we can relate to some of the (same) things,” said Siemens, about 6-4 and 190-lb. “We kind of complement each other. I mean, when he’s up in the rush, I can stay back, and when I’m up, he knows to 
stay back.

“I think, with the two similar styles of play, that in the future, we’ll be good partners. We’ll see how that goes.”

Thrower, who doesn’t turn 16 until December, picked up two assists in Saskatoon’s 5-1 win over the host Calgary Hitmen on Oct. 17. After that game, Siemens also earned praise from the coaching staff.

“He had the most hits from our team tonight,” Blades assistant coach Dave Struch told radio play-by-play man Les Lazaruk. “He did so many good things with the puck.”

Siemens looked like a man among boys during pre-season play against other team’s young prospects. He threw a big hit, fought a veteran and scored a powerplay goal in a 6-2 exhibition win over the Prince Albert Raiders.

“He’s a big, strong kid that has an offensive upside,” Molleken said of Siemens. “He’s got a big shot from the blueline (and) he’s physical.

“He’s a well-rounded player that we’ve been waiting for to don that Blades’ uniform, because he’s certainly got lots of potential to be a great one.”

Siemens had three assists after eight regular-season games with the Blades. Before returning to the lineup Oct. 9, he missed three games with a sore neck and headaches, courtesy of a collision with teammate 
Darian Dziurzynski.

“You always want to play, but sometimes injuries happen,” Siemens said. “They’re part of the game and you have to deal with them as they come and just do your best to get 
through them.”

Last season, Siemens played with the Alberta midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings, and he was called up to Saskatoon for a taste of the Dub.

“I had the opportunity last year to play exhibition games and a few regular-season games, so it wasn’t anything I was unfamiliar with,” he said.

“Overall, I think the transition has been going very smooth.”

BLADES NOTES
Loaded with talented overagers, the Blades were forced to trade Slovak centre Milan Kytnar to the Vancouver Giants to reach the allowable number of three 20-year-olds. Saskatoon opted to stick with defenceman Sam Klassen and forwards Derek Hulak and Walker Wintoneak. In the Kytnar deal, the Blades acquired a 2010 third-round Bantam Draft pick.