Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Kelowna's own is being recognized

We ain’t Josh’n: Josh Gorges headed to BC Hockey Hall of Fame

Jan 19, 2026 | 10:00 AM

Former Kelowna Rockets captain Josh Gorges will be inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame on July 11, a fitting recognition for a player whose impact still echoes through the organization.

For Rockets fans, Gorges is still remembered as the steady, unshakeable leader who wore the “C” during one of the most defining seasons in franchise history. He captained the 2004 Rockets to a Memorial Cup championship on home ice, and the memory of that run still sits at the top of the franchise’s highlight reel.

In a conversation with RocketFAN, Gorges sounded exactly like he did on the ice: calm, thoughtful, and focused on the bigger picture.

He spoke about what it was like to host the Memorial Cup, and the hidden pressure that comes with knowing your team is already in the tournament. It’s not just a gift, he said. It’s a responsibility.

“You know at the end of the day that you are going to be playing in the Memorial Cup,” Gorges said. “But you don’t want to come in after not playing for one week, two weeks, three weeks. You want to stay fresh.”

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That quote hits at the heart of what made him such a strong leader. He understood that hosting can be a trap. It can lull a team into thinking the job is already done. Gorges refused to let that happen.

“You can’t be thinking about two or three months down the road,” he added. “You focus on what’s in front of you, stay confident, and then worry about the next day.”

That mindset carried him from Kelowna to the NHL, where he played over 700 games as a reliable, tough, and respected defenceman. He was never the flashiest player, but he was the kind of guy coaches trusted in the toughest moments.

Gorges also represented Canada at the 2004 World Junior Championship, and he still remembers what it felt like to wear the maple leaf.

“When you play for Canada, it’s gold. We don’t play for anything else,” he said. “The expectation is always to be the best, and you know that going in.”

He also spoke about how the game has changed since his junior days, and he praised the new generation of players for their speed and skill.

“The game today is much faster. It’s much more skilled,” he said. “Players are doing things on the ice that we didn’t even think about when we were playing junior hockey. They’re incredibly talented.”

And he wasn’t shy about defending young players who face criticism online.

“These kids aren’t trying to lose. They’re not trying to make mistakes,” Gorges said. “They go out there and give everything they have. We should be proud of that.”

One of the best moments in the interview came when he was asked about playing alongside Sidney Crosby as a 16-year-old at the World Juniors.

“You knew right away he was a special talent,” Gorges said. “This kid’s going to be special. He’s going to do something for this game that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

He admitted Crosby was a young kid with his own quirks, but even then, the talent was undeniable.

“It was funny. He had a lot of superstitions and a lot of things that he had to continually do,” Gorges said. “He was a young kid, and I think we all kind of go through that.”

Gorges’ prediction proved true. Crosby became one of the greatest players in the world, and Gorges got a front-row seat before anyone else.

From captaining the Rockets to lifting the Memorial Cup, to a long NHL career, Josh Gorges built a legacy on consistency, leadership, and a deep respect for the game.

His induction into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame is not just a celebration of what he achieved, but a recognition of the standard he set for the Rockets organization and the players who followed.