Where do the toughest hockey players come from? 

If you were to ask a knowledgeable Canadian hockey fan, they'll probably say Saskatchewan. After all, the toughest and greatest all-around player of all time, Gordie Howe, hails from Floral, Saskatchewan.

In the context of Canada West hockey, Vaughn Watterodt embodies Saskatchewan toughness. On and off the ice.

Last summer, Watterodt was asked to speak at a youth hockey tournament called the Mental Health Classic in Saskatoon. The tournament was started by D Jay McGrath, a former junior and collegiate hockey player in Saskatchewan and Alberta. McGrath struggled with mental health and addiction as a young hockey player. Sober since 2022, McGrath now strives to educate young players about mental health. The Mental Health Classic website describes their goal "to create a tournament for kids to show off their talent, learn about mental health and create friendships in a fun and welcoming environment." Their motto is "Ice the Stigma." 

Watterodt had been connected with McGrath earlier in his junior career after experiencing his own struggles with his mental health. 

"I was going through a tough time and was directed to D Jay," said Watterodt. "I just told my story, my upbringing, my WHL career, some struggles with injury and obviously the mental side of it all. I became pretty close with him and he asked me to speak at this event for around 200 kids."

For many young hockey players growing up, mental health was rarely talked about in the locker room or around the rink. Watterodt recognized how crucial it is for young players to understand why it matters.

"I think it's important to start them as early as possible– to become comfortable with talking about themselves. In hockey, you're taught to never talk about yourself and not stray away from the 'team-first' mentality," said Watterodt. 

Watterodt hoped he could show this group of kids that it's okay to lean on your role models, especially in such a tough game. 

"Growing up, I wish I could have been able to experience that; to see someone who played on my hometown team talk about what he was going through and that it's okay to struggle sometimes," explained Watterodt, who played most of his junior career for the Saskatoon Blades.
In his junior career, the now 21-year-old experienced all the highs and lows of playing hockey in the Western Hockey League. Born in Rosetown, playing for the Blades was a special experience for Watterodt. 

"It was amazing. We'd play again in front of 10,000 fans during the playoffs. Saskatoon is one of the most special places to play in Canada," said Watterodt, reminiscing about the 2023-24 season where the Blades won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for being the WHL's best regular season team.

Playing hockey in Saskatchewan is a different experience. Aside from the Roughriders, hockey is the number one show in town. Especially for that Blades team in 2023-24.

"You get recognized; you're on posters and billboards and stuff," said Watterodt, chuckling about how surreal it was. "It was a really tight group, from the coaching staff to management, all the way down to our scratches. We were all together throughout the whole journey, and it started a couple of years earlier. We grew up together. It felt like we were all best friends on and off the ice. It was just really special."

The Blades ultimately lost to the eventual WHL Champions, the Moose Jaw Warriors, in the conference finals. The series was an all-timer, with six of the seven games going to overtime. 

Throughout his career in Saskatoon, Watterodt was a fan-favourite. Not only because was he essentially a hometown kid, but he also worked tirelessly on and off the ice, earning the respect and appreciation of the community. After the 2022-23 season, Watterodt was awarded the Blades Community Minded Award for outstanding contributions to the community and fans. For his on-ice contributions, he was given the title of "Hardest Hitter" on the team. 

Ice-shattering hits on the ice and impactful connections off of it, the man affectionately known as the "Rosetown Wrecking Ball" was a staple of the community.  

Prior to Watterodt's overage season, he was traded to the Victoria Royals. An unexpected change and a new challenge. Watterodt acknowledged that it wasn't an easy experience.

"It was tough. I was coming off a year-long injury that I played through in Saskatoon in my 19-year-old season," said Watterodt. "I was rehabbing all summer and didn't skate until August before the season. It was difficult physically but also emotionally."

Initially after the trade, Watterodt felt sombre to leave his friends and family in Saskatoon but understood that it was part of the business. Watterodt played 26 games for the Royals in the fall of 2024 before deciding to end that chapter of his career. 

"Victoria was nice. I liked their coaching staff, their management– all the guys were great. I just couldn't do it anymore," admitted Watterodt. "That's part of junior hockey; sometimes things happen and things work out in different ways that you can't see in the moment."

That's where Watterodt was led to a new opportunity in Calgary, playing for the Mount Royal Cougars. He was brought in for the second half of the 2024-25 season. The forward made an immediate impact, scoring in his home debut. 

His journey led him to where he is now as an impactful player on an exceptional Cougars team. He remains a vital part of the team and one of the hardest-hitting players in the Canada West.

"I was fortunate enough to be able to get an opportunity to come here, play every game and go to a national championship," said Watterodt. "Everyone here welcomed me with open arms. It kind of helped me revive myself as a hockey player and as a person."

A major part of Watterodt's success in finding his identity with the Cougars is the culture the team has fostered. With leaders like Kyle Walker and Connor Bouchard, and former teammates in the WHL in Jayden Wiens and Justin Lies, Watterodt knew he had chosen the right place.

Although it's a different experience than junior hockey, the drive is still there to win for Watterodt and his teammates.

"It's a little bit of an adjustment compared to the WHL," explained Watterodt. "Obviously, you're not playing as many games and you're practicing more, but I think that that helps you mature into a better hockey player."

Now in his second year, Watterodt is proud of his path and the relationships he's made along the way. His connection with D Jay McGrath has helped him personally through tough times and has allowed him to pass along a message to young hockey players. Having that hockey-centred role model does not go unappreciated.

"Being able to open up to D Jay, who was someone away from my everyday life and family, was very important for me. D Jay, being an ex-junior hockey player, understood the hockey side of it that maybe a therapist might not see," said Watterodt.

Opening up and talking about what you're going through: that is toughness. Vaughn Watterodt, forward for the Mount Royal Cougars, has shown what toughness means on and off the ice.