Dasilva calls promotion with Blades an `honour'
WHL team introduces `Saskatoon boy' as the 19th head coach in its history
The Saskatoon Blades scored off the rush Monday, adding a new head coach in short order.
Following the announcement in the morning that Brennan Sonne was leaving to join the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League, the Blades held their own media conference in the afternoon to unveil Dan Dasilva as the team's new head coach.
By doing so, the Blades are converting Dasilva from associate coach to head honcho. He becomes the 19th Blades head coach in franchise history after signing what Blades general manager Colin Priestner described as “a longterm” contract.
“It's very special,” said Dasilva, who grew up in Saskatoon as a Blades fan. “I don't think I can put it into words, honestly, what it means to me. Everything's happened so quickly. It's a privilege and honour to be head coach of the Blades, a team that I grew up watching.
“Coming to this (Sasktel) facility as a young kid, sitting up in the rafters and watching some of my early hockey idols such as Frank Banham, whose number went to the rafters last year, and Norm Miracle, and to be sitting here is truly special. So I want to make the city proud being a Saskatoon boy, born and raised. I want to make the community proud and I'm going to do my best to do that.”
As they scrambled to prepare for media conference on short notice, the Blades put together a team jersey with No. 24, and the “Dasilva” name plate stitched on.
Dasilva, 39, joined the Blades coaching staff before the 202122 season as an assistant coach. After two seasons, he earned the title of associate coach alongside head coach Sonne, helping lead the Blades to back-to-back WHL Eastern Conference finals and their fifth Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the Western Hockey League's top team in the regular season.
The former hockey forward looked after the Blades' defensive corps and penalty kill, but now gets to oversee the entire team.
A whirlwind of events within the past week led to this sudden promotion.
“When we got the news about Brennan taking a job in the AHL, it was obvious to us that Dan was more than ready for this opportunity,” Priestner said. “He has learned from one of the best coaches I've ever seen over the last three years and his respect and love from the players is universally shared.
“The players love him. We know he can do the job. That's why we made the decision quickly and so easily.”
As a player, Dasilva spent three seasons with the WHL'S Portland Winterhawks and collected 151 points in 200 regular season games. Dasilva went on to play 15 seasons as a pro with stops in the AHL, Germany, Russia and Switzerland.
Sonne leaves the Blades after three seasons. He had taken over as head coach from Mitch Love, who, like Sonne, took a job in the AHL.
“We're so happy for our teammate Brennan, getting an opportunity in the American Hockey League,” noted Priestner. “It's the second coach we've promoted to pro in the last three years. It's something we're really proud of.”