Blades rookie Hutzinger earns first WHL point, signs deal

For a player better known for his goal-scoring prowess, it’s poetic that Konstantin Hutzinger’s first career point in the Western Hockey League came from a shot off his blade.

While his initial chance was saved by Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Michal Orsulak on Saturday, it was his Saskatoon Blades teammate David Lewandowski who cleaned up the rebound early in the third period.

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The eventual game-winning goal helped the Blades complete a weekend sweep in a 5-2 victory over their Highway 11 rivals.

“Always good to get your first point and hopefully a couple more to come,” Hutzinger said.

Saskatoon Blades forward Konstantin Hutzinger (left) scored his first career WHL point in a 5-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders on Sept. 26, 2026. (Steve Hiscock/Saskatoon Blades)

Hutzinger has become one of the more well-traveled players on the Blades roster this season, a free agent invite to training camp in August who has seized a middle-six role in Saskatoon’s forward core.

Standing at 5-foot-7, the winger has utilized speed and acceleration his entire career and feels the jump to major junior will accentuate those skills.

“Obviously way more skilled, way faster and I think that suits my game style pretty well,” Hutzinger said. “I think I’m very good off here.”

On Thursday, the Blades officially announced that Hutzinger had signed his WHL scholarship and development contract.

Blades head coach Dan DaSilva agreed, as he noted Hutzinger’s engine and pursuit of the puck were major factors in the free agent earning a spot on Saskatoon’s roster this season.

“Speed, competitiveness,” DaSilva said.

“A willingness to do the things that we’re asking of him that may be making him a little bit uncomfortable, things that he’s not used to, but the effort is there. Some system stuff is taking some time with him, but that’s fine because he’s trying.”

Born and raised in Austria, Hutzinger made the move over to North America in 2024 to join the Bishop Kearney 18U AAA Selects based in Irondequoit, New York.

After he netted 66 points in 68 games with the Selects, he moved north of the border and played in the British Columbia Hockey League for the Cranbrook Bucks last season to finish fifth in team scoring with 12 goals and 30 points in 45 games.

A dual citizen of Austria and Canada, Hutzinger said it was a big decision to make the move overseas two years ago.

“I always dreamed of playing in North America since my dad is Canadian,” Hutzinger said. “I’ve always wanted to come over to North America, play Canadian hockey.”

Hutzinger, 19, already slots in as one of the oldest forwards on the Blades this season with his previous junior experience and 17 games on the international stage with Austria’s U18 and U20 teams.

Last year at the IIHF Division IA World Junior Championship, Hutzinger co-led the tournament with 12 points in five games.

“Him playing some high-end hockey in the BCHL last year, some World Junior international stuff as well, allows him to be able to deal with pressure a little bit better than a younger kid might be able to,” DaSilva said.

Hutzinger has provided Saskatoon with some needed big-game experience deeper in their lineup, as he’s begun the 2026-27 season alongside sophomore centre Ben Bowtell and highly-touted rookie Kain Martinuik.

According to DaSilva, that has allowed the Blades to stretch out their forward lines with the potential for offensive production no matter who is on the ice.

“It’s nice to have an older body that is maybe playing in a depth role for us,” DaSilva said. “He’s fit in so well with us and we need to have guys like that who can provide some depth scoring at times.”

As a dual citizen, Hutzinger is not considered an import by the WHL and does not take up one of Saskatoon’s three slots for international players.

That has allowed the Blades to not only bring Hutzinger into the fold, but also surround him with Lewandowski and Yegor Gusev up front, and Martin Psohlavec in net.

He added that having fellow Europeans on the roster has helped ease the transition to the WHL.

“(Lewandowski) speaks German as well,” Hutzinger said. “He helped me a lot, just welcomed me here and it’s been great to have him.”

Blades’ homestand continues against Rebels

Just a few days removed from an early-season team-bonding trip to play laser tag on Monday, DaSilva is feeling the effects.

“Both of my quads are still tight,” DaSilva said. “I haven’t sprinted like that in a long time.”

The Blades have enjoyed a quiet week with six days between games after back-to-back wins over the Prince Albert Raiders last weekend.

Saskatoon ended a nine-game losing streak to the Raiders dating back to last season and outscored their rivals 8-4 to earn their first two wins of the 2026-27 season.

The Blades also outshot the defending Eastern Conference champions 61-58 over the weekend, which Hutzinger said was a key reason they were able to capitalize as much as they did.

“I think the biggest thing was just getting shots to the net, just shot volume altogether,” Hutzinger said. “Obviously, you can’t score when you can’t shoot.”

Saskatoon continues its four-game homestand Friday night, with the Red Deer Rebels set to take to the ice at SaskTel Centre coming off a 4-1 loss to Prince Albert on Wednesday.

Even though the Blades are encouraged by their big weekend against the Raiders, the focus has completely shifted to their upcoming opponent according to DaSilva.

“You don’t just get to win every weekend,” DaSilva said. “Red Deer isn’t just going to come in here (Friday) night and let us have it. You have to earn it and when you have success, you have to protect the success.”

DaSilva added they’re waiting to see if either Jordan Martin or Isaac Poll will be available to play Friday against the Rebels, after both players were upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day.

The Blades (2-1-1) and Rebels will meet for the first time this season on Friday with a 7 p.m. puck drop at SaskTel Centre.