Extending the Pipeline: Ben Vatis

OKOTOKS, AB (April 4, 2025) – Phoenix Arizona, aka “The Valley of the Sun” produced two-time middleweight boxing champion David Benavidez, the late Chester Bennington who was the lead singer for the iconic rock band Linkin Park, two-time Grammy winner Stevie Nicks, as well as Okotoks Oilers netminder Ben Vatis.

Vatis, who joined the team later in the 2024-2025 BCHL season, caught the Green Army’s attention in his first start on March 15 against the Cranbrook Bucks. He did not allow a goal until 1:01 left in the game. Unfortunately, the Oilers would fall in overtime, but Vatis showed it was no fault of his own.

“It was great. Everyone was noticeably working so hard in front of me, especially late in the game. You see all of our defencemen blocking shots,” Vatis said about the team effort that was shown in his first BCHL start.”It’s always tough coming out with a loss, but we worked hard that game and the boys made it a really good experience for the first start.”

As most hockey fans know, you can’t mention the word shutout when a game is being played and a goalie has yet to allow a goal as many believe it’s a curse to do so.

“Yeah, I do actually,” he joked when asked if he avoids even saying the word shutout in his head when he’s between the pipes. “At the end of the day, I know that’s not going to stop me from getting one (shutout), but I try to avoid saying it for sure.”

Vatis also mentioned that he’s not actively thinking about getting a shutout when he’s in the net, he is more focused on getting the win for his team.

“I just want to get the win, and at the end of the day, that’s always my mindset going into a game. You know, even if there are 30 seconds left, 10 seconds left, I’m just focused on the ‘W’,” Vatis explained.

Vatis isn’t the only Oiler this season from the Grand Canyon State as Bowen Burke is also from the Phoenix area. Both he and Burke knew each other before becoming teammates with the Green and Gold.

“So, Burke is a year older than me, so I didn’t get to spend a lot of time playing with him. But, I spent a lot of time practicing with him throughout the summers, and when I practiced with the ’05 team,” he explained about how he knew Burke from back home.

“It was great to see Burkey, you know, being from Arizona, and then a few of the other guys from when I was affiliated last year, so it was nice to see a few familiar faces.”

Before joining Burke and the Oilers this season, Vatis would make a few pit stops before arriving in Okotoks.

“I got drafted to the USHL over the summer, and that’s actually where I started for preseason. I ended up getting sent from there to an NAHL team, the Lone Star Brahmas, and then it didn’t quite work out there, so I went to Odessa. When I got the opportunity to come up here, it was a pretty easy decision,” Vatis said.

“I love it. I kind of came out at a little bit different time than I did last year, I came in April. But, I love the city, and I love the boys, so it’s awesome,” he added about his time so far in Okotoks. “It’s a little hotter in Phoenix and there’s a few more trees over here, but it’s a nice change, and I’m glad that I get to experience this for the first time.”

Another difference between his hometown and Okotoks is the roaming deer in the area. Vatis said he’s fascinated by the wildlife that walks into town.

While Vatis comes from Arizona, he has roots in Canada as his mom Jackie is from the Great White North and helped grow his passion for the game of hockey.

“Well, my mom actually grew up in BC and she was a figure skater. She was a really good one, so she had me skating when I was two or three. My dad was also a big hockey fan, so I just started when I was young, and I loved the game,” Vatis mentioned.

When it came to his friends and classmates from Phoenix growing up, they definitely questioned his choice of playing the sport of hockey.

“Everyone’s like, ‘Oh you can play hockey, what’s that?’ Especially being a goalie, I’m just kind of a weirdo all around. That’s alright, I embrace it,” he joked.

Vatis explained that he wasn’t always a goalie as he started out as a forward. His older brother who also played the sport decided he no longer wanted to play in net. With that, their dad decided to put Vatis in the pads and call him up to his older brother’s youth team, from there it has stuck.

“I always loved playing goalie. I’ve always loved playing both. Actually, during the summers I play roller hockey, but as a player. But, I just love stopping pucks,” Vatis added. “I love the rush. I love being the last line of defence. I just love when you know the other teams coming down and it’s not looking so good, but you can come out with a big save and just really bring morale up. I love that.”

Wherever Vatis has gone to play hockey, he has picked the brains of his coaches and his goaltending tandem as he’s always looking to improve his game. Vatis would give credit to Oilers assistant coach Derek Purfield, Olivier Ciarlo and Simon Westling for helping him add some new techniques to his game.

“It’s awesome playing with (Ciarlo) and really just getting to hear about everything he has gone through, and so many little tips he has. It’s great watching him play too. He battles so hard. I love watching him and being able to implement. Some things he does into my game,” he said about Cialro.

“Simon, a lot of the time we’ll share the net and we’ll switch out (in practice). I just love watching him, he’s so simple and that’s something that I really want to implement into my game. Then watching (Ciarlo), the way he battles for every puck. There is so many things you can take from each of them and I love being in practice, and being able to observe all that.”

When asked about his style, Vatis said he’s a quick goalie who is hard-working and will never give up on a puck. Work ethic is instilled in the brain of Vatis and believes it has helped him get to the BCHL with the Oilers.

“Just work, It’s sort of stereotypical, but if you think you’re doing enough, you’re not, and there’s always more to be done. You know, if you love the game and you want it, keep working hard, more than you think you should. You might get there, but it’s never done. The work’s never done,” Vatis explained.

Vatis added that another thing that helped the Arizona product’s climb to the BCHL was believing in himself and said that kids who want to travel the same path as him need to have a strong belief system. He said as recently as this year, he has worked hard, done everything correctly but it wasn’t going his way. Instead of getting down on himself, he kept the belief system and continues to grow in the game of hockey each time he hits the ice.

Just like his teammate Burke, Vatis who trains in his home State in the summer time has shared the same ice as NHL Superstar and Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Auston Matthews who grew up in the same area.

“I’ve trained with him a few times during the summer since I was 14,” he said about Matthews “There was a few clips that went viral of him scoring on me. One of them hit the post, so thankfully that one didn’t go in. But yeah, I’m fortunate enough to get to skate with him and a lot of other pros that come down in the summer. It’s just great training and being able to see how those guys work and take their shots. It’s awesome.”

Seeing a player like Matthews who comes from the Grand Canyon State and thrives in the NHL has given Vatis the confidence that someday he could follow in the same footsteps and play pro hockey.

“Yeah, absolutely.  When I was 14, I believe that was the year before the COVID season, but I think he scored like 50-something goals in the COVID year and I was like, ah, he shot at me during the summer, so that must be why,” Vatis joked.

Growing up loving the Arizona Coyotes comes hand-in-hand if you play the sport in the area, and Vatis was no different.

“Absolutely. R.I.P. Coyotes, but even when they were at their old arena, the Jobing.com arena, it was a great atmosphere, and I have so many amazing memories watching Coyote’s games there. That just fueled my love for the game. I mean, even when they were at the Mullet, it was so great being able to see them in person still, and I’m going to miss that, but hopefully, they can work that out and maybe get a team back in Arizona again,” he said.

Vatis added about the atmosphere of Mullet Arena where the Coyotes played for their final two seasons and where the Arizona State Sun Devils still play.

“It was a great experience. I got to sit pretty close up to the ice and it was awesome. It’s so electric in there. I know a lot of people who like to talk about how it’s a small arena when you can’t avoid that, but it’s still such a great experience. The fact that maybe it is a small arena just makes it that much more electric to be in,” Vatis explained about the Mullet arena.

Hockey players coming from Arizona continue to climb and Vatis has seen firsthand while being a prime example that hockey can thrive in the Grand Canyon State.

“I would say it’s definitely growing, and just especially with the kids that I’ve played with and kids that are older than me. There’s just a lot of talent coming out of Arizona, and especially in the next two years, it’s going to come to light, and hopefully, even without the Coyotes, we can keep that going,” he added.

When it comes to the USA one day surpassing Canada in hockey, Vatis joked by saying “Well, I’m a dual citizen. So, I’m not going to comment on that. Either way, I win, so I’ll take it.”

Vatis can thank his parents Jackie and Tom for the dual citizenship, along with the amount of support they have shown and given him throughout his hockey journey.

“They’ve meant everything to me. My mom especially, she has instilled such an amazing work ethic in me, and my dad has done the exact same thing. They’re such hardworking people and they’re amazing people. I look up to them and they have completely made me the person I am today. I’m just so grateful to have them as loving parents,” Vatis said about his mom and dad.

With Jackie being a figure skater, she had Vatis on figure skates which is still a memory he holds today.

“I have, and I toe-picked every second. The little pick they have on the front of their skates, I just don’t know how they do it with that. I’m just used to a full blade,” he joked.

Vatis grew up with an older brother Nick who also played the game of puck in the State of Arizona.

“He’s actually a flight instructor right now. My dad is a pilot and so my brother’s hoping to follow in his footsteps, which he definitely will, he’s a hardworking kid,” Vatis said about his brother Nick.

“It was amazing, I’m so grateful to have a brother who would always play hockey in the front yard. We’ve always had such a competitive nature. I’m glad that I got to grow up with that, and I think it’s benefited both of us for sure,” he explained about growing up with Nick. “We were very competitive. When he was a little bit bigger than me and beat me at street hockey I would take that pretty personal.”

Vatis said he still has pictures of himself and Nick playing street hockey.

When it comes to sightseeing around the area of Okotoks, Vatis has made sure to visit places like Banff.

“I drove down there on a Sunday. I was driving to Banff and it was so beautiful. I went to Lake Louise and my mom and I actually went canoeing there a few years back. I was here in Calgary for a tournament. We went to Lake Louise and it was a bit different because it was the summer back then, so we were able to canoe, it was water no ice. It’s beautiful down there, so I’m glad it’s only a two-hour drive away,” Vatis mentioned.

Vatis had a message to all the Green Army fans who have come out to support him and the team this season.

“It’s amazing to have such support from all the fans. My first start there’s two little kids that had my number on a sign and it was so cool to see. It’s so awesome playing in a rink where it’s pretty much packed in. You love to see that. Me as a player, it feels so good being on that ice and seeing so many people supporting you,” he said.

Another thing that he really enjoys about the Green Army is the support from the youth.

“I love it, I remember when I was their age and it’s so cool to be on the other end of that now. Just set a good example for all of them,” Vatis said about the Okotoks youth who make it out to Oilers games. “I had a lot of great experiences in Arizona with a lot of the Coyotes players. Obviously, this isn’t the NHL, but I can still feel like I can be kind of that mentor and give kids great experiences, you know, watching us play and I feel like that’s awesome.”

10 questions with Ben Vatis

What is the most embarrassing song on your current playlist?

“The Taylor Swift song, We Are Never Getting Back Together.”

What is your go-to cheat meal?

“Right now, on a Sunday, there’s nothing like an A&W burger. So, that’s what I got to go with. They have the little Calgary Flames game-day deal. So, usually get two of those. If I was in Phoenix, I’m a sucker for Chipotle. It’s not a crazy cheat meal, but I’ll indulge maybe a bit more than I should.”

If you could meet anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?

“That’s a tough one, I would love to meet Henrik Lundqvist. Obviously, hockey goalie, but I feel like from what I’ve seen, he’s a lot more than that, I would love to know about how he endured what he was going through with his heart. He’s always been my favourite goalie growing up, and I would just love the chance to chat with him. Just kind of pick his brain on a lot of things.”

Favourite team and player growing up?

“Definitely favourite player was Henrik Lundqvist, but my favourite team was kind of split between the Canucks, my mom was from Vancouver, and the Coyotes with me being from Arizona. But I always cheered for (the Coyotes) growing up and being able to go to those Coyotes games was unbelievable. So, I got to go with the Coyotes.”

Favourite movie and TV show?

“Interstellar is definitely my favourite movie. I love, and a little bit of history for those who don’t know, my mom and Joelle (Vatis’ billet mom), but the Okotoks Dawgs, one of their baseball fields, not their main one, but the one they have kind of behind it is where they filmed the baseball scene in Interstellar. I didn’t know that until I got here and I just think that’s so cool. It’s my favourite movie and it’s right here in town, My favourite TV show is definitely Rick and Morty. My billet dad Jason and I have had a few good laughs watching episodes, love that one.”

Would you rather go to the past or the future?

“I think I would like to go to the past. I just would kind of love to experience things that maybe my parents experienced. They talk about it, I can’t understand it. So it would be cool to experience things like that. Maybe what it was like for them growing up.”

What is a song that gets you pumped up?

“I try and stay relaxed during a game, and I’m kind of all over the place. I’ll listen to some rock and some kind of rap that’s kind of laid back. One of the guys I listen to is Aaron May, he’s not super popular, but he makes some songs that kind of just make me feel relaxed. One of his songs is called Let Go.”

Best chirp you have ever heard or said?

“I try not to be too disrespectful to anyone. One of the simple ones that I’ve said is just you’re ugly. I don’t mean that personally, but it’s one of those things you don’t expect to hear. (The opposing team) is going to be like, ‘Oh you suck at goalie’ and then you’re like “you’re ugly”. I don’t really chirp very much, I make sure if I say something like that to a dude, after the game I tell them I’m kidding, like, I just wanted to get in your head.”

Where in the world would you go if I could snap my fingers and get you there right now?

“I’m going to Sechelt BC. That’s where my grandma lives and I go there every summer. I just absolutely love it there.”

Favourite sport other than hockey?

“Playing wise, even though I’m not very good, I like playing basketball. Me and some of my teammates from last season, we would play a few games. We would go over to a local gym and play some games. They could get pretty heated, but we always had a good laugh over them, they were awesome. But watching, especially when it’s a big event, I like watching football. The Super Bowl obviously wasn’t super close this year, but when it is, it’s really exciting to watch.”

Bonus

Who on the team would you have as an emergency contact?

“Probably go with Simon. I feel like Simon would have my back all the time. You know that goalie, goalie love.”

If you could relive any day in your life, what day would you relive?

“Probably 16U regional championships. I mean, I love winning. Being with guys that I’ve grown up with and we lost the year before actually, our 15s year, so going back and winning our 16s year. It was unbelievable, and If I could pick a week, it would probably be the Circle K Classic last year. I mean that was one of the most amazing tournaments I’ve been a part of, and for us to make the final and just have a great tournament overall, it was amazing.”

Best advice you got from your parents?

“From my mom’s experience and my dad’s, it was also instilled in me, just work ethic. You got to have a good work ethic, that’s something that I try and instill in everyone around me because it’s something that I’ve found to be so crucial, and even in my younger years, you got to have good work ethic. The way I have been raised, I don’t want it any other way, I want it the hard way, and just knowing that I can work through that and my parents just showing me and telling me that.”

 What is your secret talent?

“We don’t need to count this one, because I can juggle, but as a goalie, I feel like that’s pretty common. I’m pretty good at drawing. I like to draw hockey players and goalies, and I like to draw people sometimes.”