SASKATOON — Vaughn Watterodt is greatly enjoying being part of a successful Saskatoon Blades squad this season.
At the Western Hockey League’s Christmas break, the Blades were on a nine-game winning streak. With a 24-5-0-0 record, the Saskatoon team was third in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
“It’s been really fun,” Watterodt said. “It’s been great to come to the rink and compete in practice with the boys, just be proud of what we’ve accomplished and just continue that success.”
The Rosetown product has certainly played a part in the team’s strong start. The Blades know what they are going to get every night from the 18-year-old forward.
“Day in and day out, he is our energy bunny,” Saskatoon assistant coach Dan DaSilva said. “He competes the same exact way every night. He’s there every night. You can always depend on him.”
This season the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Watterodt has already surpassed his points total with the Blades last season. So far in the 2022-2023 campaign, Watterodt has 10 goals and 19 points in 29 contests. Last season he had six goals and 17 points in 46 games for the Blades.
From Nov. 12 through Dec. 13, Watterodt scored in eight of the 11 games he played. That included a two-goal effort in a road victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. What has allowed him to be successful?
“Just preparation and being prepared to play every game,” Watterodt said. “Keeping a good headspace has helped me with this … streak.”
While he has been scoring, Watterodt is also a presence on the other end of the ice. In a contest earlier this season, the Blades coaching staff put their trust in Watterodt, Jayden Wiens and Tyler Parr to take on the Regina Pats’ Connor Bedard, who is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
“That is a big part of my game,” Watterodt said of defence. “I’m on the penalty kill. I take pride in being one of the top penalty killers and one of the top two-way forwards.”
A key to Watterodt’s game, DaSilva said, is consistency.
“He’s very consistent in his work,” the assistant coach said. “From a coach’s perspective, you can’t really ask for anything else. If their work is there every day, that’s all you can really ask for.”
Watterodt’s hockey career has had him bouncing between Saskatchewan and B.C. the past number of years. He spent time developing his game at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. In 2019-2020, Watterodt returned to his home province to play for the U18 AAA Battlefords Stars. He also suited up for four games with the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. During a 2020-2021 campaign affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Watterodt spent six games with the Terriers and played 12 in a “hub” with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.
Last season, Watterodt saw action in six games for Kamloops before being swapped to Saskatoon. He is pleased to “play for the team I grew up cheering for. … It’s been awesome.”
“It’s been really nice to be close to home and having friends and family being able to come to games,” Watterodt said.
