Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Trades, depth as deadline approaches

‘This is where the season really starts for us’ – Kelowna Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton

Jan 6, 2026 | 6:00 AM

As the Western Hockey League trade deadline approaches, there is a quiet tension around the Kelowna Rockets. General Manager Bruce Hamilton is right in the middle of it.

Players feel it. Coaches know it. And with Kelowna set to host the 2026 Memorial Cup, everyone in the room understands that the roster is not yet complete.

“I think we still need to add at least one or two more players,” Hamilton told RocketFAN. “You really need two lines and two sets of defence for the Memorial Cup.”

That need became more obvious after the season-ending shoulder injury to Peyton Kettles. The 18-year-old, who joined the Rockets this season from the Swift Current Broncos, was expected to anchor the blue line before surgery changed those plans.

“Kettles really changed the dynamics of our defence,” Hamilton says. “We thought he’d be a real shutdown guy and could play with a guy like Mazden [Leslie]. That’s probably an area we have some concern about.”

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Even though Kettles is sidelined, Hamilton emphasized the importance of having him around the team during rehab.

“He is an important part of our future. Our focus now is supporting him throughout his rehab and ensuring he returns healthy and strong. Whether he plays this year or not, he’s going to be a pillar on this team next year, and he needs to be part of the group, Hamilton said.

To start addressing the immediate roster gap, the Rockets acquired 19-year-old Keith McInnis from the Red Deer Rebels last Friday. McInnis made his Kelowna debut over the weekend, adding immediate depth to the blue line, though Hamilton has not said whether the move fully offsets the hole created by Kettles’ injury.

RocketFAN also asked Hamilton point-blank if he would consider acquiring a player who is currently injured but could be available for the Memorial Cup. Hamilton says it all depends on the asking price, but acknowledged the risk.

“Kettles is going to be on that 25-man roster, so we’re down to 24 guys playing,” he said. “That’s a little risky if you acquire someone who can’t play immediately.”

The Seattle Thunderbirds, Vancouver Giants and Edmonton Oil Kings were busy on Monday pulling off deals, with the T-Birds and G-Men making fans wonder if they are building or selling. The Giants sent their leading scorer to Seattle before acquiring one of the Spokane Chiefs top guns.

“The pool of players that’s available is smaller,” Hamilton adds. “Everyone’s still trying to get in the playoffs, so we’ve been working the phones every day. You don’t want to miss out on something.”

Hamilton still holds two first-round draft picks, including one acquired in the Caden Price trade that carries enormous value. With Lethbridge near the bottom of the standings, that 2026 pick projects as a potential top-three selection, making it one of the most valuable assets in the league at this deadline.

Even with that kind of leverage, Hamilton remains measured.

“Draft picks are more valuable now,” he says. “You’ve got to wait and see, and hopefully we fall into something that’s good for us.”

Defense may be the priority, but the Rockets have already added an intriguing piece up front. Kelowna recently acquired the WHL rights to 18-year-old Czech forward Vojtech Cihar. A second-round NHL draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, Cihar made noise at the World Junior Championship, leading Czechia in scoring, helping his country capture silver, and earning tournament MVP honors.

“When we get back here and settled with our Czech players, we’re going to have a pretty interesting group,” Hamilton says.

That group is expected to grow soon. Team Canada forward Tij Iginla is set to join Cihar and fellow Czech Tomas Poletin, another World Junior silver medalist, giving Kelowna an international-flavoured mix heading into the second half.

The timing of the deadline adds another wrinkle. The Rockets will spend trade day on a bus, rolling south to Portland for a Friday-Saturday series against the Winterhawks. The lineup that takes the ice could look different than the one that leaves Kelowna.

Hamilton’s approach remains patient, but active. He is not chasing headlines — he is chasing fit.

“We really look at the character of the player more now than we ever have,” he says. “We want players that are committed to us. We’ll commit to them, so they need to commit to us.”

And while the deadline can create urgency, Hamilton is not forcing anything.

“I don’t know if there’s going to be as much movement as in the past,” he says. “Everyone’s holding onto picks a little tighter.”

Still, the focus has not wavered.

“We’re engaged [in trade talks], every day, all day,” Hamilton says. “This is where the season really starts for us.”