(Image Credit: RocketFAN)

By Regan Bartel

WHL's Richard Doerksen speaks to RocketF

Checking all the boxes leading into May’s Memorial Cup

Jan 28, 2026 | 11:11 AM

The road to the 2026 Memorial Cup passed quietly through Prospera Place on Tuesday, long before the spotlight returned to the ice.

While the Kelowna Rockets were beating the visiting Red Deer Rebels 5-3, Richard Doerksen was in the building for very different reasons. The Western Hockey League vice president of hockey was in Kelowna for on-site Memorial Cup meetings as the city prepares to host junior hockey’s biggest event in May of 2026.

“Generally, what we do is hold a meeting in late January or early February just to go through the site preparations for the host team,” Doerksen said.

Those meetings brought together representatives from across the Canadian Hockey League, including officials from Ontario, members of the WHL office, the Kelowna Rockets organization, and the local host committee. Weather prevented representatives from Quebec from attending, but the meetings went ahead as planned.

The focus was on details.

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Officials toured the hotels that will host the three visiting teams. They reviewed transportation and security plans. They walked through Prospera Place to look at how the building will be set up for the event. They also went through the Memorial Cup handbook, which outlines the rules and standards for running the tournament.

“That handbook is a very important part,” Doerksen said. “It contains all the rules and regulations for the event.”

From what he has seen so far, Doerksen is encouraged by Kelowna’s progress.

“We’re very pleased with everything,” he said. “The Rockets have done a good job. They already have a really good base for tickets. The hotels are top notch, and we will have no issues bringing teams in from the three leagues.”

Doerksen also pointed to the arena itself as a strength.

“The rink is very well set up,” he said. “The video scoreboard is one of the best in our league, and the teams are really going to appreciate that.”

Those words matter because Doerksen’s experience with the Memorial Cup is unmatched.

“The only Memorial Cup I missed was in 1985,” he said. “That was the year my son was born.”

Prince Albert won the championship that season, but Doerksen stayed home with his family. Outside of that year and the two tournaments lost to COVID, he has attended every Memorial Cup.

“This would be 45,” he said.

Seeing that many tournaments has given Doerksen a clear understanding of what makes a Memorial Cup successful. The best ones are well organized, supported by the community, and prepared to handle the unexpected.

Kelowna’s 2004 Memorial Cup is one he remembers clearly.

“One of the things I remember most is the thunderstorm,” Doerksen said. “Twice during the game, the power went out in the building.”

The first outage surprised people. The second caused concern. Eventually the power returned and the game continued.

“The teams were fine,” Doerksen said. “We waited it out, got full power back, and away we went.”

He also remembers the final, a tight 2 to 1 game, and the atmosphere inside the building.

“The atmosphere was outstanding,” he said. “That’s what sticks with you.”

Some Memorial Cups stand out because of moments like that. Others stand out because they helped shape the event.

Doerksen still talks about the 1983 Memorial Cup in Portland.

“That was the first Memorial Cup held outside of Canada,” he said. “It was also the first one with a host team.”

The championship game was played in the morning to fit television schedules. Even so, the building was sold out.

“Fans were giving standing ovations before the game even started,” Doerksen said. “You just had to see it to believe it.”

He has seen many classic tournaments since, including the 2007 Memorial Cup featuring Medicine Hat and Vancouver, which included overtime games, fog over the ice, and unforgettable moments.

Through all the changes over the years, Doerksen believes the Memorial Cup format still works.

“It’s a very successful tournament the way it is right now,” he said. “The fans do not seem to mind it, and it will stay the same for the foreseeable future.”

Now that May is getting closer, Kelowna is moving from planning to preparation.

Richard Doerksen has seen 45 Memorial Cups. He knows what works.

And from what he has seen so far, Kelowna is on the right path.