The Queenstown-based reigning NZIHL champion makes a delayed start to the 2018 season this weekend with games against West Auckland Admirals.
Stampede beat Admirals in last season’s finals to win the Birgel Cup for the third successive time.
"I think the league will be stronger overall this year," Blanchette said.
"Both Auckland teams look strong and the Admirals are probably the ones we’ll have to beat.
"They’ve been in the finals, they’ll be hungry and they’ve got a good crop of guys.
"So we’re diving into it — it’s a big weekend. It’ll be a good measuring stick."
Stampede travels to Auckland for games today and tomorrow, with a 4.30pm puck-drop. Admirals won 8-6 away against Dunedin Thunder last Saturday but then somewhat unexpectedly lost Sunday’s game 4-3.
Stampede beat Thunder 7-5 and 8-2 in a pre-season games two weeks ago on Queenstown ice.
Auckland’s Botany Swarm made an impressive start in the five-team league last weekend, smashing former contender Canterbury Red Devils 7-3 and 9-2.
The Queenstown team is ringing in the changes for 2018. Popular goaltender Aston Brookes has headed across the Ditch for a taste of Australian life, while brothers Mitchell and Lachlan Frear have been suspended by the Sports Tribunal for the season after admitting buying a fat burner on the internet in 2014 which contained the banned drug clenbuterol, although they did not receive the order. Defenceman Hayden Argyle has retired.
But Stampede has brought in some top replacements.
Ice Blacks goalie Daniel Lee steps into nets while 191cm Canadian import Patrick Volpe — brother of former Stampede import keeper Adrian Volpe — comes into defence.
They join another hard-hitting Canadian import, defenceman Kory Helowka, who has played professionally in the US and Europe. He made a feisty start to his Stampede career, dismissed for cross-checking in period two of the second pre-season game.
Canadian Stephen Johnston also joins the squad. The import forward was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and has been playing with Sydney Ice Dogs.
Both Volpe and Johnston won the Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup as juniors.
"That’s a pretty big accomplishment," Blanchette said.
"I think we’ve done a pretty good job with recruitment. Obviously, losing all those players, it’s a big hit, but we’re able to keep probably three-quarters of the squad together and keep going."
That includes Ice Blacks Matt Schneider, who captains Stampede, Callum Burns, Connor Harrison, Stefan Amston and Cameron Trew, along with stalwarts Bert Haines, Colin McIntosh, Mike McRae, assistant coach Ryan Strayer, Cameron Frear and Braden Lee.
Dunedin Thunder will play the Canterbury Red Devils in two gamse in Christchurch this weekend.
