Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Rockets GM aims to win the Memorial Cup

Bruce Hamilton isn’t just hosting – he is hunting

May 23, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Bruce Hamilton doesn’t do fluff. Never has, never will. So when the longtime GM of the Kelowna Rockets stepped up to the mic at the Memorial Cup 2026 headquarters launch party on Manhattan Drive, there was no mistaking his message.

“We are in it to win it,” he said calm, direct, and deadly serious.

That wasn’t just a soundbite. That was the mission statement.

“For our city, and for our fans most importantly, that is the goal. It is not just to participate, it is to win it, and that’s the way I tick,” he said to applause.

With the city officially kicking off the road to the 2026 Memorial Cup, it didn’t take long for the tone to shift from celebration to expectation. Sure, there were speeches, applause, maybe even a few goosebumps (just ask Josh Gorges). But when Hamilton spoke, the room tightened up because when the man who built the Rockets into a perennial powerhouse speaks, people tend to listen.

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“From my families side of this, we are just so thrilled and honoured to have the Rockets involved in bringing the Memorial Cup back to this city. It was a goal we had when Covid hit, and now it is going to be even better because we have a chance to host this most prestigious event.”

Hamilton knows what this tournament means—not just for the team, but for the entire city.

“I can’t thank enough mayor Tom Dyas and city manager Doug Gilchrist enough. We wouldn’t be getting this event if it wasn’t for the city of Kelowna to step up for upgrades to the facility. The councilors, for standing behind us to get this done. You have made a investment in the home of the Rockets.

Kelowna’s hosting the biggest event in junior hockey, and unlike some hosts who are just happy to show off their rink and skyline, Hamilton made it clear: the Rockets are gunning for more than just a warm welcome.

“The work has just begun for all of us on the Memorial Cup side of things. The organizing is in great hands with the committee. My job and Curtis’ (Hamilton) job and out scouting staff job is to get our team where we need to be. We are very confident we are on our way with that. ”

If anyone’s qualified to make that call, it’s Hamilton. He’s been at the helm of the Rockets since 1991, guiding them through WHL titles, producing NHL talent, and hoisting the Memorial Cup in 2004. This isn’t his first rodeo, it’s just his latest shot at greatness.

And if history’s taught us anything, it’s that when Hamilton sets a target, the Rockets don’t just aim, they fire.

With the countdown to 2026 now officially underway, the message from the top is clear: Kelowna’s not just hosting the show, they’re looking to steal it.

So consider the bar officially raised. The hometown team has a championship on its mind, a veteran GM steering the ship, and a city full of fans ready to rally.

One thing’s for sure: Bruce Hamilton didn’t mince words, and neither will the Rockets.

They’re in it. And yes, they’re in it to win it.