Thursday . . . early

The Saskatoon Blades are back up to four 20-year-olds now that the New York Rangers have returned D Sam Klassen. He signed with the Rangers as a free agent in July. Klassen attended their camp and was assigned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack before being returned to the Blades, for whom he played the last three seasons. . . . Klassen joins F Derek Hulak, F Milan Kytnar and F Walker Wintoneak as 20-year-olds on the Blades’ roster. . . . That roster is at 27, including 10 defencemen and 15 forwards.
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F Toni Rajala has been assigned to the Brandon Wheat Kings by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and is expected to arrive in the Wheat City on Thursday night. A fourth-round pick by the Oilers in the NHL’s 2009 draft, Rajala has been out with a knee injury. He is back skating and working to get used to wearing a brace. It isn’t yet known when he will make his debut with the Wheat Kings, who are at home to the Swift Current Broncos on Friday.