Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League, Saskatoon Blades and the City of Saskatoon officially launched the countdown to the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup at a media conference at City Hall in Saskatoon today where Mayor Don Atchison declared Saturday, September 22 ‘Blades Day’.

The WHL also announced that production is slated to begin this weekend on a new documentary series featuring the Saskatoon Blades leading up to their hosting of the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The series will air on Citytv Saskatchewan and Sportsnet with broadcast schedule to be announced at a later date.

Produced by Downstream Pictures in Saskatoon, in association with Fadoo Productions Inc., the series will go behind the scenes with the Blades coaches and players to document how their 2012-13 WHL season will unfold and go deeper into the lives of these young hockey players. Production on the eight-episode series wraps up prior to the start of the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Saskatoon on May 17.

The Blades road to the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup starts tonight in Prince Albert as they visit the Raiders at the Art Hauser Centre. The Blades then host the Raiders in the back half of their opening weekend home-and-home series on Saturday at the Credit Union Centre. The game is part of the WHL and Shaw TV’s Opening Week feature broadcasts airing LIVE across Western Canada at 7:00pm MT.