(Image Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

By Regan Bartel

Captain Consistency

Carson Wetsch warming up for playoff run

Mar 3, 2026 | 6:00 AM

For most of this season, Carson Wetsch has changed the way he plays for the Kelowna Rockets.

The 19-year-old captain is still scoring, but he is doing more than that. He is making plays, holding onto the puck, and helping the players around him.

“Give credit to my teammates and the coaches,” Wetsch told RocketFAN. “A lot of my success comes from them.”

Head coach Derek Martin says Wetsch plays the game the right way.

“He sees the ice really well and makes smart plays,” Martin says. “He can take over a shift, but he also helps his teammates. Even when we change the lines, he handles it well. That’s what good leaders do.”

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Wetsch also knows where he scores most of his goals.

“That’s where I get most of them,” he says, talking about standing just outside the crease. “When the puck comes loose there, I’m ready.”

It is simple, but it works.

“Most goals in the National Hockey League are scored right in front of the net,” he says. “If I can be good there now and take that to the next level, that would be big for me.”

Martin says Wetsch is willing to work for those goals.

“He battles. He does the small things. He plays hard at both ends of the ice. That’s what makes him a complete player.”

Wetsch’s leadership has also become a big part of his season. He keeps his focus on the team, not on what might come next.

“My focus is on this group,” he says. “Every game matters right now.”

He has spent a lot of time playing with skilled teammates, including Tij Iginla. But Wetsch says he is comfortable no matter who he plays with.

“I’m happy to play with anyone,” he says. “I feel like I can help any line. I’m not frustrated when things change.”

Martin says that makes him very valuable.

“He can play with anyone and still make the group better. It gives us options every night.”

This season has also been tough at times because of injuries. Lines have changed often. But Wetsch believes it shows how strong the team really is.

“We’ve had some important players out, and we’re still competing,” he says. “It shows how much depth we have. When everyone is back, we’ll be even better.”

Martin agrees.

“Even when we’re missing players, Carson keeps everyone together. That’s leadership.”

As the calendar turns to March, the Rockets are running out of regular-season games.

There are only nine left, with six at home and three on the road.

“The travel is easier, and that helps,” Wetsch says. “But it’s still a tough stretch. We have to stay sharp and push.”

The Rockets sit just one point behind the Prince George Cougars for third place, and they are also chasing the Penticton Vees at the top.

“There’s always a chance,” Wetsch says. “If we keep winning and focus on what we can control, anything can happen.”

Martin puts Wetsch’s impact simply.

“He makes everyone around him better. He leads by what he does, not by what he says.”

Wetsch is also a draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, and he knows what playoff hockey feels like after last season with the Calgary Hitmen.

“This is the best part of the year,” he says. “This is the fun hockey. When it gets hard, you really see how guys respond. I’m excited for what’s coming.”