Youth and potential define Rockets’ next chapter

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“We like the players that are coming to our camp, and we’re excited about our older players that are coming back and our younger players that are coming into the organization,” Hamilton said. “We feel like we have some real talent and some up-and-coming guys.”

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No player has generated more excitement than Daneault.

Selected first overall in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft, the 15-year-old will spend this season playing U18 hockey in Red Deer but is eligible to dress in up to 34 games with the Rockets as an underage player.

Hamilton believes the organization may have landed a player unlike any it has drafted in recent memory.

“He probably could have been in the lineup for some of the Memorial Cup games,” Hamilton told RocketFAN. “He’s a special player.”

Hamilton also revealed the Rockets had opportunities to move the first overall pick but never felt comfortable giving up the chance to select an elite prospect.

“That pick was discussed a lot in a lot of trades,” Hamilton said. “Teams were interested in it, but I just came back to Bruce [Hamilton] and Terry [McFaul] and said if we end up getting that pick and the players that are available at the top of the draft, all of these guys are special players.”

Hamilton believes players of Daneault’s calibre are simply too difficult to acquire.

“We probably haven’t had a high draft pick and a player of that calibre in a very long time, if ever,” Hamilton said. “The only way you get those players is if you have another team’s pick or your team’s really struggling. I don’t think it really would have been worth it, and I’m certainly happy that we were able to hang on to it.”

Hamilton said Daneault’s hockey IQ is what separates him from most players his age.

“His skills and vision and how he plays the game, he’s very well-rounded,” Hamilton said. “He doesn’t have a ton of flaws in his game already.”

Despite being only 15 years old, Hamilton believes Daneault is already capable of contributing at the WHL level.

“I think he’s good enough, even right now, to play with talented players at our level and he could have an impact.”

The Rockets plan to be patient with his development.

While Daneault could play the maximum 34 games this season, Hamilton says the priority is making sure the young forward continues to grow without being overworked.

“The coaches, after seeing him last year, they would like him here all the time,” Hamilton said. “But he’ll be back and forth a bit, and we just have to manage him. We don’t need him running out of gas.”

The Rockets also expect Czech import Jacob Frolo to make an immediate impact after selecting the skilled forward in this summer’s CHL Import Draft.

The 18-year-old joins Kelowna after playing professionally in Europe and is expected to add another offensive dimension to the Rockets’ lineup as part of the organization’s youth movement.

On the blue line, the Rockets added 19-year-old Los Angeles, California-born Dane Sorenson after tracking him during his season in the BCHL.

Sorenson, who is committed to the University of Massachusetts, is expected to provide maturity and stability to Kelowna’s defence.

“He’s a fun player,” Hamilton said. “He competes extremely hard, he skates well. I think he’s got a little bit of offense in his game too, but definitely just a defender first who can skate and competes hard.”

Hamilton believes Sorenson joins a defence that already has promising young pieces.

“We have some good D coming back already and, on top of that, we have some real talented young guys.”

Among those young players is 16-year-old defenceman Will Keltz.

Hamilton says Keltz, along with about-to-turn-16 d-man Remy Cook, will receive every opportunity to earn a spot during training camp.

“They’ll both be given a long look, I think, to start the year here,” Hamilton said.

The pair are very different players, with Keltz bringing size at 6-foot-3 and roughly 200 pounds. At the same time, Cook relies on mobility and puck movement after being chosen in the second round, 6 players after Keltz was taken in the opening round in 2025.

Hamilton said decisions on both players will ultimately be based on what’s best for their long-term development.

Another newcomer Hamilton singled out is 19-year-old Cole Braunshausen.

After spending last season playing Minnesota high school hockey before finishing the year in the USHL, Braunshausen caught the attention of the Rockets’ scouting staff.

“He’s not the biggest guy, but he competes extremely hard, he skates well, he’s got some scoring, but he’s probably a more rounded player,” Hamilton said.

The Rockets aggressively recruited Braunshausen and are eager to see how his game translates to the WHL.

“We’re really excited to see what he can do,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton says the organization’s focus hasn’t changed despite the evolving junior hockey landscape.

As more players consider NCAA opportunities and roster turnover becomes more common, the Rockets remain committed to identifying talented players and helping them reach their potential.

“We’ll just keep drafting good players and bringing them up and developing them,” Hamilton said.

If Hamilton’s assessment is correct, that next wave of talent may not be far away from making a significant impact in Kelowna.