Huskies forward Taylor Wilkinson listens intently during team practice at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary, Alta. on Dec. 2, 2022. (Daniella Ponticelli/HuskieFAN)

By Daniella Ponticelli

'At this point, I'm just having fun'

Huskies’ Wilkinson reflects on return to hockey after injury nearly dashed U Sports dream

Jan 5, 2023 | 8:00 AM

‘Taylor Wilkinson is enjoying a standout U Sports rookie season as the overall points leader for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

But it wasn’t long ago the dedicated forward thought her hockey days were done.

“It was really hard. I was in Grade 12, I was 17 years old, and obviously the dream my whole life was college hockey,” she said.

“It’s a cliché, but you really don’t know what you have until you lose it.”

The 20-year-old grew up playing the game alongside her twin brother, Ryan, in their hometown of Lloydminster, Sask. She chased her hockey dream all the way through midget AAA, playing her final year with the Sutter Fund Chiefs in Red Deer, Alta.

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It was there, however, she sustained a serious shoulder injury in their 2019 season opener. What followed was a string of misdiagnoses — and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I had accepted I was done hockey,” she said. “I saw about 15 surgeons in total and kept getting ‘no’s’ and it was a lot. I was mentally in a pretty tough place.”

Twins Ryan and Taylor Wilkinson pictured in their Lloydminster Blazers uniforms for the 2009-10 season. (Taylor Wilkinson/Submitted)

It was months into 2021, and Wilkinson’s first academic year at the U of S, when the hockey player finally underwent surgery for the correct diagnosis of a dislocated shoulder.

“It turned out everything was just super duper stretched that nothing ended up tearing. So it hung out of the socket for 15 months straight,” she explained, adding that she really couldn’t do physical exercise during that time.

“Mentally, I don’t think I was ever in a good spot until I got a text from Morgan Mann.”

That happened about six months into Wilkinson’s extensive physical rehab. Mann, the head coach of the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s hockey program in Lloydminster, invited her to play for the 2021-22 season.

“I can’t even explain the feeling I had. I called my mom and I was instantly crying. I get to play hockey again,” she said.

Not only did Wilkinson record four goals and nine assists in 16 games with Lakeland, she helped the Rustlers win the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League Championship on March 20 in Lethbridge.

“Playing with the Lakeland Rustlers was probably the best year of hockey I’ve ever had,” she said.

The Lakeland College Rustlers won the 2021-22 Alberta Junior Female Hockey League Championship in Lethbridge, Alta. on March 20, 2022. (Rustlers Athletics)

Wilkinson said it was the Rustlers supportive coaching staff who encouraged her to reach out to Huskies head coach Steve Kook. The two had previously connected when Wilkinson was touring prospective schools prior to her injury.

“We came up with a plan for me to attend all their summer camps and we would go from there,” she said.

“I didn’t know what to expect, trying on as a walk-on. I was just hoping to make the team. I think I surprised myself.”

Wilkinson said emotions ran high and tears flowed when she received the call that, finally, her U Sports hockey dreams would come true.

“I cried. My mom cried. My dad cried. It was a lot but honestly, everyone says everything happens for a reason. So I guess it does,” she said.

“I love the game so much right now and I’m honestly just leaving it all on the line” – Taylor Wilkinson

Wilkinson is the Huskies points leader through 18 games so far in the 2022-23 season. The first year has racked up three goals and seven assists, the majority on special teams plus one game winner, for 10 points — one more than Huskies fourth-year forward, Sophie Lalor.

Wilkinson is currently ranked second in points among all Canada West rookies.

Huskies forward Taylor Wilkinson wears her number 19 jersey during a pregame warmup at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary, Alta. on Dec. 3, 2022. (Daniella Ponticelli/HuskieFAN)

“I love the game so much right now and I’m honestly just leaving it all on the line because there’s nothing worse than what I went through,” she said.

“I just give it my all and I’m hoping to keep getting better. At this point, I’m just having fun.”

Wilkinson is eager though to help the Huskies to a Canada West title and a back-to-back appearance at the U Sports Championship.

Heading into the second half of the 2022-23 season, the team is fourth in Canada West — good enough for a home playoff game — with a 10-5-3 record.

“Hearing all the stories from last year, their experience at nationals, I know everyone wants to go back and us new girls, we want it,” she said.

“We’ve got such a talented team. We’ve got two goalies behind us who are incredible goaltenders. It’s crazy when they’re out there doing their thing.”

Wilkinson is currently in her third academic year at the University of Saskatchewan, with a goal to eventually teach and coach at a sports academy. Her twin brother Ryan and their older brother Matthew are both pursuing dentistry at the school.

“We all love Saskatoon. Our parents, they both graduated from the U of S. So yeah, I guess it was kind of a no brainer. We were all going to come here,” Wilkinson said.

Huskies women’s hockey kick off the second half of their 2022-23 season this weekend hosting the Trinity Western Spartans for the first time in U Sports history.

Games are scheduled Friday and Saturday, Jan. 6-7, at Merlis Belsher Place. Puck drop both nights is 7 p.m.

HuskieFAN’s Daniella Ponticelli will have the calls live on huskiefan.ca and on the HuskieFAN app.