Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Shift focus to chemistry

Rockets roster set, now comes the hard part

Jan 9, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The trade deadline has come and gone, and for the Kelowna Rockets, the picture is finally clear.

Because the Rockets didn’t make any additional moves after acquiring Ty Halaburda and defenceman Parker Alcos on Tuesday, Wednesday night’s 5-2 home-ice win over the Tri-City Americans offered the closest look yet at what this team is going to be. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t complete, but it was revealing.

Kelowna didn’t have Montreal Canadiens third-round draft pick Hayden Paupanekis in the lineup. Determined 19-year-old defenceman Nate Corbet also sat out. That could change tonight in Portland, when the Rockets ice what may be their strongest lineup of the season. But the point remains. The deadline is over. The shaping is done.

Now comes the harder part.

When the Rockets take the ice tonight against the Winterhawks, this is no longer a work in progress. This is the group that will play out the final stretch of the regular season. This is the team that has to find chemistry before the playoffs arrive at the end of March. And this is the roster that will host the Memorial Cup in May at Prospera Place.

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For head coach Derrick Martin, the focus has officially shifted.

The pieces are in place. The talk is done. From here on out, it’s about coaching a team that expects to win.

Kelowna’s two deadline additions addressed different needs, but both were made with the same goal in mind. Solidify the roster before the stretch drive and remove uncertainty heading into the most important months of the season.

On the back end, Parker Alcos brings exactly what Martin values this time of year.

He’s big, strong, mobile, and difficult to play against. He skates well, closes early, and doesn’t make life easy for opposing forwards. He’s not being asked to generate offense or pad numbers. His value shows up in subtler ways.

“He helps secure our top four,” Martin says. “He can go out and play against the other team’s top six every night.”

That kind of reliability matters as games tighten and mistakes get magnified. Kelowna already believes in its offensive firepower. The next step was making sure those players get the puck in the right places, at the right times.

“We needed guys that can turn pucks over early so we can play quick in transition,” Martin says.

Alcos fits that identity. Alongside Keith McInnis, the Rockets feel they now have balance on the blue line. McInnis can provide offense. Alcos can handle heavy minutes, stabilize the penalty kill, and take on tough matchups. The defence group is older, bigger, and harder to play against.

Those are qualities coaches trust when March turns into April.

Up front, Ty Halaburda fills a different role, but one Martin sees as just as important.

“First for the character and the leadership,” Martin says. “Second, because he’s played with offensive players. He knows how to play with offensive players.”

Halaburda arrives with experience and credibility. Martin points to the role he played in Vancouver, helping steady a Giants team that went through significant change this season. That kind of background matters now, especially in a Kelowna room full of talent and expectations.

Transitioning into a new group isn’t always seamless, but Martin isn’t worried. Halaburda is 20. He understands roles. He understands timing. He’s being placed alongside veterans who can help him settle in quickly.

The same applies to Alcos. His role in Kelowna closely mirrors what he handled in Edmonton. Systems differ, but not enough to slow down players who know how to play.

“There are a million ways to win a hockey game,” Martin says. “But the differences are small.”

Early lineup decisions reflect both confidence and flexibility. Alcos has been paired with McInnis, giving Kelowna two strong skaters with size who can play tough minutes. Martin also likes knowing he can adjust if needed, protecting younger players or chasing matchups depending on the night.

That flexibility feeds directly into the biggest challenge ahead.

Coaching a deep team isn’t easy. There’s only one puck. Ice time has to be earned. Roles have to be accepted. Martin has seen it before.

“Ego is a powerful thing and we all have it,” he says.

This group knows what’s coming. The Memorial Cup will be decided on Kelowna ice. That reality brings excitement, but it also brings pressure.

“If we’re real serious about wanting to win our way through the front door,” Martin says, “guys have to have a certain level of selflessness.”

It’s a message that won’t be delivered once and forgotten. It will be repeated. There will be uncomfortable nights. There will be frustration. Martin doesn’t shy away from that.

What gives him confidence is what surrounds him. An experienced staff. Management that has been through this before. Veteran players who understand what winning under expectation actually requires.

“There’s a lot of really tremendous human beings when you walk through that door,” Martin says.

Now the real work begins. Finding the right combinations. Learning what works and what doesn’t. Understanding which pieces fit best in different moments.

The deadline is over.

The roster is set.