Photo taken in Kelowna by Marissa Baecker - Shoot the Breeze

By Regan Bartel

Oilers and Rockets have long history

Stanley Cup bound team is Kelowna Rockets connected

Jun 3, 2024 | 9:39 AM

The Kelowna Rockets’ relationship with the Stanley Cup championship-bound Edmonton Oilers is a long one.  

Who will forget Connor McDavid and his teammates landing in Kelowna in September of 2019 and spending a weekend skating on Prospera Place ice? In what was considered a team-building exercise at the time, while the practices were not open to the public, many Oilers were seen walking around or taking a cab ride to enjoy some of the best of what the city had to offer at that time of the year. 

Oilers General Manager Ken Holland has a deep connection to the area, hailing from Vernon, so the location seemed to be a comfortable fit. As it turned out, it was a homecoming of sorts for Oilers goaltender Mike Smith, who made Kelowna his off-season home.  

The Oilers made a similar stop in 2010 as well, under then-head coach Tom Renney. Taylor Hall was the star of the show, as the organization was building around the first-round draft pick, who would eventually be dealt six years later to the New Jersey Devils for d-man Adam Larsson.

When acquired the rights to forward Leon Draisaitl on January 6, 2015, from the Prince Albert Raiders, due diligence was required by Kelowna Rockets General Manager Bruce Hamilton. Hamilton had to make sure the then 19-year-old, who was playing in the American Hockey League at the time, would be sent back to the WHL and that playing for a potential WHL championship team was in the prospects best interest. Without Craig McTavish, the Oilers GM at the time giving the green light, Draisaitl would have never led the franchise to its 4th league championship and fifth Memorial Cup birth. 

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When the Oilers participated in the Young Stars tournament in Penticton in the fall of 2011, then 20-year-old Rockets goaltender Adam Brown suited up for the team.  

Brown said at the time, “It’s really exciting. Some of the positive reinforcements for all the hard work I’ve put in. It’s a huge opportunity for me. I’m going to try and make the most of it. I have to go in there and play my best and show them what I can do. That is how I am looking at it…go in there and have some fun and try to catch someone’s eye.”   

In 2009, former Kelowna Rockets goaltender Torrie Jung got a surprise call. While playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings in his overage season, Jung was called up to the NHL team as an emergency replacement after starter Nikolai Khabibulin hurt his back in the morning skate. Jung was quickly called into duty, backing up Jeff Deslauriers for that evening’s game against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks. While Jung wasn’t called into duty, he had the best seat in the house on the Oilers bench.  

Only two Kelowna Rockets players have been drafted by the Oilers organization. Troy Bodie was chosen in the 6th round of the 2003 NHL Draft, before Tyler Spurgeon was taken in the 8th round in 2004. 

On the management side, Kelowna Rockets Assistant General Manager Curtis Hamilton was a second-round selection of the Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft. Hamilton would play one game with them, in 2015, against the San Jose Sharks. 

Former Kelowna Rockets Head Coach Marc Habscheid was a 6th round pick of the Oilers in 1981, and played 75 games with them in the early 80s.