Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Kelowna products WHL career winding down

Dylan Wightman is living in the moment

Mar 15, 2024 | 8:00 AM

Time is ticking down on his Western Hockey League career.

For Dylan Wightman, he knew this day would eventually come. He is astutely aware of what’s ahead, yet it won’t make it any easier when it eventually ends.

“We are right in the middle of a playoff race right now, so that has taken most of the focus,” Wightman telling RocketFAN that his team’s recent success with points in 9 games (8-0-1-0) is not allowing him to get too sentimental with four games left in the regular season. “I am trying to enjoy the last few games though, as we have only two road games before playoffs, so I want to take it all in and then go on a long playoff and go as deep as we can.”

As a veteran with over 200 career WHL games played, Wightman occupies two seats at the back of the Kelowna Rockets bus. In the hockey world, it is a place of honour amongst teammates.

“All the 20-year-old’s are at the back of the bus,” Wightman said. “The older guys are at the back, and every year [you play] you move further back.

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Wightman sits directly across from overage captain Gabriel Szturc, while overage d-man Kayden Sadhra-Kang, acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings on November 30th, sits in front of him. Nineteen year-old Jari Kykkanen is situated across the isle, in front of Szturc, to his right.

“I like it,” Wightman said about the seating arrangement. “There is a little storage behind [the seat], plus I am next to the bathroom, so I don’t have to crawl over anyone at night. That said, it is as crammed as the other seats, so it only gets so good.”

The 21-year-old remembers the sad faces on former 20-year-old teammates when there days in major junior concluded.

“When you come into the league, you don’t even think about your career coming to an end,” he said honestly. “You don’t think it’s a possibility. When I turned 20 last year [February], then it hit me that I have one more year. It doesn’t really hit you until its you.”

Wightman’s story is an interesting one. Born in Kelowna, he was a fan of the team as a kid before eventually being listed by them after failing to be selected in the WHL bantam draft. Plus he played junior hockey while sleeping in his own bed, living with mom, Nicole, and dad, Brad.

“I was a huge Rockets fan as a kid, so it was cool to live my dream out in that sense,” he added. “Getting to stay with family and moms cooking was awesome. It is cool to experience new things like billeting, but that will be something I will look at next year. I am just thankful that my family was around my whole [WHL] career.”

It seems only fitting RocketFAN speak to Wightman in advance of tonight’s road game in Everett against the Tips. Wightman made his debut with the Rockets at the Angel of the Winds Arena four season ago, January 17, 2020 as a wide-eyed rookie.

“I was doubled up [sitting beside] Rilen Kovacevic on the way down,” he recalled with ease. “It is funny looking back and being crammed at the front of the bus. In my 16 year-old year, we would go on road trips because we had a lot of injuries, so us young guys like Steel Quiring would hang out, and while it feels like a long time ago it happened so quick.”

Long road trips, wins and losses, spending time eating as a team have only fostered greater relationships with current and past players. Wightman has seen many buddies like John Babcock traded to Saskatoon, Jackson DeSouza to Brandon and Turner McMillen eventually joining the Prince Albert Raiders.

“I am really tight with ‘Gabby’ [Gabriel Szturc], and I would have never met him or guys from Czechia without this experience.”

Wightman is one of the fortunate ones. His season won’t end on March 23^rd when the Rockets host the Vancouver Giants in the final regular season game. For the 18 players across the league that hold an overage spot in Calgary, Regina, Edmonton, Seattle, Kamloops and Tri-City it is the end of the line.

“I am definitely fortunate we are coming on this last little stretch,” Wightman added about his team clinching a playoff spot a week ago in a 9-1 win over Kamloops. “I just want the career to last as long as possible, and this is the last shot at it, but the focus now is putting ourselves in the best position for the playoffs to make as long as a run as we can.”

Off the ice, Wightman has been a rock star on social media, but it came as a fluke. A flamboyant personality wasn’t needed, nor crazy antics or comical retorts to questions made him stand out on TikTok and Instagram. A kind heart stole the show during a recent school visit, where elementary school aged girls, caught on camera, gathered around and peppered him with questions.

“I don’t regret choosing the WHL,” he said.

“The only thing that can make it better is going on a playoff run.”