When Watson’s commitment to Ohio State for college fell through, the defender needed a new place to play college hockey. It just so happened that his longtime friend was playing for a program on the rise at Michigan Tech. Watson talked things over with Eick, and the pair became part of the puzzle pieces that then head coach Mel Pearson needed to help put Michigan Tech back on the college hockey map.

“We were fortunate enough where we just kept getting put in the same situation where we’d be together every season,” said Watson. “Especially now that we’re still both living in Appleton during the summers, we train together. I mean, it’s really easy just to stay close.”

With both players hailing from Appleton, Wisconsin, which, at the time, was not considered a heavily-recruitable area of the state, both the players and their families were happy that they both found a place to play that was relatively close to home.

While at Michigan Tech, the pair became part of a team that tied for the WCHA regular season title and won it first playoff title in over 30 years. Over the course of their time in Houghton, the pair became part of a special group of players who have grown close during their time in Black and Gold.

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics — Former Michigan Tech forward C.J. Eick controls the puck during a game in Houghton.

“I think Mel did a great job of keeping the guys really close together,” said Eick.

“You almost don’t even realize what you’ve done until you leave,” Watson said. “When we look back, and we’re sitting in the locker room with, you know, Tyler Heinonen and Tanner Kero and, and we’re talking about, some of the stuff that we’ve gotten the opportunity to do, it’s unbelievable.

“I mean hosting the WCHA championship here. I was lucky enough to that my senior year. “When we won, the regular season, we were talking about riding the bus home from from a game (in Marquette) and celebrating seeing that the scores worked out. It’s getting to go to the GLI and being pretty successful every year, maybe not pulling out a win after his freshman year, but being in that final game for the most part, it’s pretty unbelievable, when you see how many wins we had.”

Last season, Eick was playing for the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL. Watson and former teammate Riley Sweeney both ended up in Kansas City over the course of the season.

“It’s funny for the other guys in the team, because they don’t play with really anybody that they played college with,” Eick said. “Then you have one where you have three guys from Michigan Tech. So it was cool. It just kind of goes to show the culture that has been created up here.”

Pearson helped motivate his players to win, and the success speaks for itself.

“We were just coming in from the mentality that we’ve always kind of had, expecting to win,” said Eick. “Obviously, Mel portrayed that a lot. For everybody, it seemed normal at the time.” With Michigan Tech only being about a five-hour drive from Appleton, Watson and Eick have enjoyed getting back to Houghton whenever possible. This summer, they both worked the Michigan Tech Hockey Camp while training for the start of the season this fall.

“I think, obviously, we want to come back up here every summer,” Watson said. “I mean, with the hockey camp being here makes it a lot easier. We have to come and work, but honestly (it is an) excuse for us to just come up and, and see everything again, go to all of our older restaurants and hang out with our old teammates and old buddies.

“So I mean, it’s an awesome spot, and it’s nice to be close, like this, to home. (It’s a) quick drive up for us, and it’s been good.”

Getting the opportunity to play college hockey in a city like Houghton helped both skaters develop an appreciation for the game and the passion that Huskies’ fans show.

Watson was surprised by how passionate the community is about hockey when he first arrived.

“It’s such a hockey town,” said Watson. “When I was growing up, and would come up here and play a little bit youth hockey, I guess I didn’t realize what extent it was, you know, such a hockey town, even the high school games and atmospheres. (If you) go to a restaurant here, different teachers and everybody (else) is a fan of Tech hockey. You know, it really made the experience awesome.

“We he talked to other guys who maybe go to a Big 10 school, where it’s like football and basketball is the most popular thing around, and hockey is more of a low-attendance sport. Being in a community where hockey is kind of the main sport was awesome.”

It has been that passion they found that keeps them returning to the local area as part of their training regimine year in and year out.

“We’re back up here for the summer and it’s been three or four years since we’ve played here,” Eick said. “Everywhere you go, no matter where it is, every restaurant, you see people that you remember from back then and they’ll talk to you. They’ll stop to talk with you and just have conversations and see where you’re at. Everyone keeps keeps tabs on us too. Which is really cool.

“Some of the people might even know more about me than I know about me sometimes, like some of my stats and whatnot. They’ll bring it up and they’ll say, ‘We see you’re going here, where are you going to sign?’ It’s pretty fun. It’s pretty fun to know that you have a following like that. (It) kind of motivates you at the same time to keep going and be able to connect with these people.”

It has become easy for Watson and Eick to look back fondly on their time at Michigan Tech.

“Now it’s cool to look back and be like, ‘Well we were part of those those really good years, and hopefully they continue,'” said Eick. “How good Mel did with the team and recruiting, and that staff did a great job with with bringing in a really good culture.”

“It’ll be nice to look back to and just realize that we left a lasting impression,” said Watson. “I mean, it’d be fun to bring our kids up here, hopefully someday, and come to the rink and be able to see us in pictures together and explain kind of what that was all about your names up on the wall.

“We were walking by the walls, the other day, just seeing, what was up there, how cool that is. It’s a special feeling and it’s going to be fun, you know, down the road here, to keep experiencing that.”