Rockets hoping home crowd can spark another Memorial Cup run in Kelowna

Kelowna is welcoming Ontario champion Kitchener, Quebec champion Chicoutimi and Western Hockey League champion Everett to compete for the Canadian Hockey League’s ultimate prize, the Memorial Cup.

“You have to live in the moment,” said Hamilton, who has served as the Rockets’ president and general manager for 35 years. “It’s just trying to find some time to enjoy it instead of chasing your tail the whole time. And that’s going to be critical for everybody involved, to step back and take a few breaths and enjoy what’s going on.”

The Rockets are a family business, with Bruce’s younger brother Gavin serving as the team’s vice-president of business development while son Curtis is assistant general manager.

Together, they have turned the Rockets into one of the CHL’s flagship franchises since establishing ownership in 1991 — the year Curtis was born in Tacoma.

They have won four Western Hockey League championships (2003, 2005, 2009 and 2015) with dozens of alumni starring in the NHL, including Shea Weber, Jamie Benn and Leon Draisaitl.

And now the Rockets are back in the spotlight as hosts of this prestigious tournament, which had been slated to return in 2020 but was cancelled by COVID.

“It’s been a long time coming, again,” said Hamilton. “We don’t get very many opportunities to do this.”

Everett arrives as the tournament favourite after spending much of the season ranked No. 1 in the CHL and losing just twice during its WHL playoff run. The Silvertips swept Penticton and Portland, lost an overtime decision to Kelowna in the second round and dropped the opener of the league final to Prince Albert before winning four straight.

The Silvertips feature 16-year-old phenom Landon DuPont, a dynamic defender projected as the top prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft. He will celebrate his 17th birthday during this tournament.

Kitchener should be a force too after sweeping Barrie in the OHL final, led by Sam O’Reilly, a trade deadline acquisition who won the Memorial Cup with London last year.

Chicoutimi may be less heralded, but the Saguenéens earned their spot by defeating defending QMJHL champion Moncton in six games.

“With Chicoutimi winning … and knowing who you’re going up against, it feels real now and there’s a lot of excitement,” Rockets head coach Derrick Martin said earlier this week. “We’re in the home stretch. It’s here, and when we got beat out in the second round, it felt like it was forever until it got here, but just the way that these guys have put the work in, it’s gone pretty quick.”

The Rockets carried extra energy into practice this week. They believe they can compete as hosts after winning the tournament on home ice in 2004 and pushing Everett as hard as anyone during the WHL playoffs.

“It’ll be good to see them again, and to see the other leagues’ top teams as well,” said Tij Iginla, the Rockets’ leading scorer and assistant captain. “We’ve put in a lot of work since (losing to Everett). We’re just excited to have another opportunity.”

Excitement is building around Kelowna ahead of the tournament, both among those who remember the 2004 Memorial Cup and newer residents of the fast-growing city.

“The buzz is ramping up, and it’ll be rocking in here on Friday, because there’s basically no tickets left,” Hamilton said of the tournament opener between Kelowna and Kitchener.

The Rockets hope to keep that momentum going with a run to the championship game May 31.

“For the last month, just seeing the tents put up and all the changes around the rink, we’ve had a front row seat, and I think that breeds some excitement too,” said Martin. “To see what it means in this community and how passionate people are here, I know the crowd is going to be raucous on Friday, and that’s a huge advantage for us.”

And that whole legacy part isn’t lost on Martin, either.

“Everything that’s transpired has been building towards this moment,” he said. “Bruce took a chance on me, I’d love to be able to repay him and can’t think of a better way than handing a Memorial Cup over to him, Curtis and the Hamilton family. We have the opportunity to do it now; it’s up to us to go and take advantage of it.” 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2026.

Larry Fisher, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Rockets hoping home crowd can spark another Memorial Cup run in Kelowna

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