Magic skates spell success on ice

Brayden Watt’s skates apparently haven’t lost their magic.

The 15-year-old forward from Brandon, who was selected by his hometown Wheat Kings in the eighth round of the Western Hockey League draft earlier this month, started to skate when he was five due to an assist from a television show.

“My dad and my mom got me my first pair of hockey skates,” Watt said. “I called them the magic hockey skates because we used to watch this TV show called The Magic Hockey Skates so that TV show kind of got me into hockey. Ever since, I’ve just fallen in love with the game and I don’t want to stop playing.”

The 21-minute TV short originally aired in 2012 and was based on a 1991 children’s book written by Allen Morgan and illustrated by Michael Martchenko.

He also took some inspiration at Westoba Place. After all, it would be nearly impossible for a youngster growing up in hockey in Brandon to avoid forming some kind of relationship with the WHL.

“Since I put on my first pair of skates, I’ve always been a Wheat Kings fan,” Watt said. “I remember when my grandma and grandpa got me my first Wheat Kings jersey and I was so excited. I’ve always loved the Wheat Kings and love watching them play. It’s awesome watching a lot of other Dub players like Connor Bedard coming to town and the rink was packed. It’s just awesome with a WHL team so close to you.”

Naturally, that also sparked the dream that he too might one day play in the league.

“I’ve always thought of the Brandon Wheat Kings and wanted to play for them,” Watt said. “It’s always been my top goal. It’s been that and to make the NHL. I’ve always wanted to be a Brandon Wheat King.”

He also found inspiration in other places.

His cousin is Jaxson Brick, who was among the leaders on this year’s under-18 AAA Wheat Kings and has been listed by the Edmonton Oil Kings.

“He’s one of my role models,” Watt said. “I look up to him and want to be just like him always because he’s a great hockey player and an even better person.”

The five-foot-nine, 144-pound forward is also effusive in his praise for his family — father Marc, mother Nicki and sister Holland — and the impact they’ve had him during his hockey journey.

“My sister is one of my biggest supporters,” Watt said. “She’s always there for me and always looks out for me. She’s awesome, I love her so much. And then my mom and dad, I couldn’t do anything without them. Mom sacrifices so much for me just to play hockey and I love her so much, and my dad is my hero.”

He golfs a lot, getting out on the courses as quickly as he can when the season opens.

On the ice, Watt has always been a forward, except for one glorious game in net.

“We were up 12-0 and I let in 11 goals,” Watt said. “I think that was the last game of goalie I’ve ever played.”

In 31 regular season games last winter with the U15 AAA Wheat Kings, Watt had 21 goals, 41 assists and 29 penalty minutes, with five goals and three assists in five playoff outings.

“There were some ups and downs and bumps in the road but I thought it was a great season,” Watt said. “We were a family in the dressing room. We are all in on one goal, although sadly we couldn’t make that goal happen. It was a great year.”

After posting a 25-6-1-0 record in the regular season, the Wheat Kings were ousted in the playoffs after they failed to earn one of the top two spots in their pool during a new round-robin format used in the first round.

While he certainly knew the scouts were watching all season, Watt acknowledged the extra pressure but got around it with his approach to the game.

“I go out there and have fun,” Watt said. “I just love playing hockey and I just play my game and have fun with my friends. It’s something I enjoy, not really a job for me, it’s more of a hobby. I just love playing hockey so much and I don’t really let the scouts thing get to me. It’s always nice getting recognized but I just love the game.”

Even so, Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said it didn’t take long for him to notice the young forward.

“He’s just a well-rounded player,” Moulton said. “He really competes hard, he leads his team by example, he plays in all situations. I thought he was really good for his local team this year. I noticed him right away and identified him as a possible draftee the first time I saw him play. I really like his game. I think he plays 200 foot and he’s not afraid to engage or get involved.”

Watt sees some of the same things in his game.

“I think I’m a 200-foot player,” Watt said. “I’m good in the offensive zone and the defensive zone. I really have a strong IQ of the game, I’m a smart player and know where my teammates are all the time and am always trying to find them. I think I have a really good shot and am not afraid to shoot the puck but I always put my teammates first and like to see them succeed.”

On the other side of the equation, although he doesn’t think is skating is bad, he seems room for improvement.

“You can always be a better skater,” Watt said. “It’s just putting that work in to get faster, quicker with my first step and all that kind of stuff. I just want to be the best hockey player possible and work on all my skills on and off the ice.”

On the second day of the WHL draft on May 8, Watt was driving to Steinbach for Hockey Manitoba’s Pursuit of Excellence top-40 camp.

They were monitoring the draft on a phone and refreshing it every couple of minutes as his teammates started to be picked: Kevin Knee went to the Victoria Royals in the third round with the 88th overall pick, goalie Cooper Dryden was selected 130th by the Portland Winterhawks and defenceman Nash Lenton also went to Everett with the 161st pick.

“I was so happy for them, especially Kevin Knee, Cooper Dryden, Nash Lenton and those guys who all deserved it so much,” Watt said. “It was a long stressful day but I saw Brandon come up at 176 and I really thought I had a great chance there. We got to the hotel and I was watching that pick especially.

“It was the best feeling I think I’ve ever had in my life. I ran down the hotel hallway and my dad was on the phone, work-related, and my buddy (Knee) was in the hotel room next to me and heard me and came and celebrated with me. It was an unreal feeling.”

Watt is going to try out for a spot with the U18 Wheat Kings next season, but that will come after his first training camp with the WHL squad he grew up watching.

He’s eager to experience the level of competition, and to take one magic stride towards his WHL objective.

“It’s my number one goal and it’s always been my dream,” Watt said. “When Brandon drafted me, I thought in my head ‘It can come true!’ “I just have to put that work in and I have to come to the rink prepared every day and do all the off-ice stuff.”

» The Brandon Sun is profiling every member of Brandon’s draft class of 2025. See tomorrow’s Sun to read about Winnipeg defenceman Liam Green.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com