Wedding bells and NLL transactions go hand in hand. Well, at least that’s what Kyle Waters experienced last fall.
“It was one of my best friend’s sister’s wedding,” said Waters. It was typical wedding stuff. That’s where I was when I received a couple of texts and a phone call and found out what was happening. It was a bit of a shocker. It was just a weird, crazy day.”
On a warm September day, Waters attended the ceremonies. A day that marked change in the lives of those walking the aisle was also a day of unexpected change for the then-Calgary Roughnecks forward.
“Thankfully it wasn’t during their vows or anything. I hadn’t had any prior calls the week leading up to the draft about any trade talks. I was just playing some cornhole and doing what you do at a wedding. Next thing you know, I get a text from one of the people I was close to in Calgary saying ‘we’re going to miss you’ and I thought that was weird. Then next thing you know I get a call from Josh Sanderson (Calgary Roughnecks head coach and assistant general manager). He just relayed the message to me that I was being traded and he thought there was a bit more opportunity for me where I was going.”
Nothing we love more than watching Kyle Waters score goals like these… 😍 pic.twitter.com/sU9BtpNX7J
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) March 3, 2024
Waters had been acquired from Calgary, along with two draft picks, in exchange for Thomas Hoggarth and Thomas Vela.
A day of celebration turned into one riddled with mixed feelings and emotions for the Orangeville, Ontario, native.
“Obviously, it’s a business decision that they made, and I understood that, but I was a bit upset. I had a lot of friends on Calgary and probably made one of my best friends in Tanner Cook on that team.”
Fortunately for Waters, the feeling of being upset turned into excitement once he knew the destination was Rochester. He played junior lacrosse with Austin Hasen, Rylan Hartley, and Tyler Halls, and during the pandemic, he played six games in the Junior ‘A’ bubble season under the coaching perch of Knighthawks bench boss Mike Hasen.
Number FOUR for Kyle Waters, and the Knighthawks take an 11-10 lead over the Bandits in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/U2HymFojou
— NLL (@NLL) January 14, 2024
“I talked with Josh over the summer a few times and he was straight up with me. He told me I’d probably be in the seventh forward spot and really need to earn my minutes. Knowing that, I felt like going to Rochester would give me a bit more freedom and allow me a chance to grow my game more.”
“He was definitely the player that we thought we needed,” said Hasen. “When the trade was made, we wanted to make the most of it and utilize his abilities. When I was coaching minor in Brampton, he was playing for Orangeville, and I would see him take that team to a different level. He was always a force to play against. We hoped he’d be able to do that here for us and so far, so good.”
This season, Waters has scored 13 goals and owns 27 points, both being career-highs despite playing fewer games than each of his first two seasons in the NLL with Calgary.
“This league is about opportunity,” said Waters. “Sometimes it’s a little harder than anticipated. You start to doubt yourself sometimes and wonder if you even belong here. Then I got traded and one of the first conversations I had with Dan Carey (Knighthawks general manager) was he told me that I was someone they had kept an eye on for a while. That made me feel wanted and I knew playing for ‘Haser’ (Mike Hasen) that I would have offensive freedom and the opportunity to play to my strengths. He gives everyone that fair opportunity. He gives his offense the ability to play their style. That belief in me really helped and to start here with that feeling has made the adjustment easy. It’s been fun playing for Rochester.”
After spending 2 seasons in Calgary, Kyle Waters scores his first goal as a Knighthawk…getting one past CDB and his former team.
Knighthawks trail 10-6 in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/MwWPFrIAPE
— NLL (@NLL) December 3, 2023
“Trying to find your way in this league is difficult for everybody. We’ve given him a role that we feel suits him well. He’s a big body that’s going to create some space and when he has opportunities, he’s doing a dynamite job. It’s exactly what we hoped for. He’s playing really well,” said Hasen.
Waters made his mark again with the ‘Hawks this past Sunday, scoring two goals and two assists in the team’s 19-15 win over Panther City, snapping a six-game losing streak. Despite the adversity faced since starting the season 3-0, Waters has gelled with his new team.
“We have such good players in our organization. I think our whole offense is so creative and so skilled. We’re moving around on the floor for each other trying to set picks and distribute to one another. I think this offense is one of the best in the league and we all know that. It’s a super fun group to play with.”
Waters has found a home in Rochester. His role with the Knighthawks sees him as an everyday contributor to the team’s dynamic offense. What was a moment of anxiety on a friend’s sister’s wedding day has turned into a season of opportunity, belief, and pride for the third-year pro.
GET UP FOR KYLE WATERS 👏 pic.twitter.com/fZyKGZLsPq
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) February 4, 2024
In hindsight, I guess it wasn’t such a bad call to have on a wedding day.
