Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Building a Legacy

30 seasons strong: Inside Bruce Hamilton’s Kelowna Rockets – Part 1

Sep 15, 2025 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets first took to the ice in the Okanagan three decades ago. Today, banners hang in the rafters, and Bruce Hamilton, majority owner, president, and general manager, is still at the helm as the team prepares for its 30th season.

Sitting down with him, RocketFAN could see just how much this milestone means.

Hamilton reflected on the summer and the early moves that set the stage for the season.

“Yeah, I am [excited],” he said. “It’s been a really busy summer, obviously with the Memorial Cup, but also as we started to build this team. We started at the trade deadline last year to put some pieces together and get some assets so we could acquire some guys.”

Two acquisitions stand out: Carson Wetsch and Mazden Leslie. Hamilton believes they will anchor the team. The return of Tij Iginla from the NHL training camp of the Utah Mammoths won’t hurt either.

The lost art of true sports storytelling

Why athlete stories should never fade

Jul 22, 2025

One call, one commitment

Luke Schenn's call, Mazden Leslie's answer

Jul 19, 2025

Is the NCAA grass really greener?

WHL's grit and grind is unmatched

Jul 10, 2025

“We’ve acquired two guys who will be a big part of our team. We wanted to do that before the season, when you didn’t know who was going to be around.”

A Target on Their Backs

Hosting the Memorial Cup brings instant attention. Hamilton knows every opponent will come prepared.

“They’re [players] going to learn when the season gets going that everybody’s going to come after us just because they know we’re in,” he said. “We have to find a way to be better. That’s why we put this coaching staff together.”

The coaching staff balances youth and experience. Derrick Martin leads as head coach, supported by Josh Gorges, Brandon McMillan, and WHL coaching legend Don Hay. Hamilton points to Hay’s experience as a key stabilizing factor.

“He’s been to nine Memorial Cups. He’s going to be real important for Derrick and Josh and Brandon in helping them through some things here as you get frustrated with the way guys play. Don’s seen the movie, and these other guys are all fairly young, so they’re going to learn as they go.”

Hamilton emphasized the importance of respect and communication in the locker room, something head coach Derrick Martin has in spades.

“It’s the main reason we hired him [Martin] in the first place as an assistant coach. We saw some things from him for the future. I don’t want him getting overshadowed by everybody else that’s been hired. He’s the head coach and he’s very well respected in the room. He’s well respected by the players for sure. In today’s generation of players, it’s communication, communication, communication. And I think all these guys are good at that.”

The Game Today

Hamilton paused to reflect on how the game has changed. Speed now dominates.

“Now, if you can’t skate, you can’t play.”

Size and grit remain essential, especially in playoff hockey.

“I don’t know if size is as big a thing as it used to be, and yet our team is going to be built with some size around that. When you’re going to play in the spring, you’ve got to have some good size to work your way through the playoff series and rounds and find a way to wear teams down.”

He quickly added a caution about today’s skilled but inexperienced players.

“Today’s players are far more skilled. They spent so much time in the academy world, and they’re more skilled, but they’re not game smart yet. That’s the biggest challenge, getting them to understand games are way different than practices.”

Hamilton also considers the modern sense of entitlement among players.

“There’s some of that for sure. That comes from what we’re putting them through in these academies where you’re not really trying out. You’re paying to play. That’s affecting players more than ever. They’re a lot more entitled. The challenge we’re facing is getting them to understand it’s not pay to play. You’ve got to earn your way here or you don’t get that.”

Legacy in Focus

Thirty seasons in, Hamilton sees this year as about more than wins. It is about identity and the culture he has built.

“We always found a way to get a competitive team put in place,” he said.

He reflected candidly on the difficulties of recent seasons.

“We’ve had three years of pretty average. COVID, the 2020 year, just killed us as an organization. Player-wise and everything, because we traded away so much for the Memorial Cup and then to not have it and not have an opportunity to reclaim any of the assets really made it tough the last few years.”

Despite the challenges, Hamilton sees opportunity in the roster.

“We’re finally over the hump. We’ve got tremendous depth in our organization. Our young players are all going to be real good players. The cupboard’s reloaded.”

The focus is on growth and letting coaches guide the team.

“Now it’s a challenge to fine-tune it, and more importantly, let our coaches coach and find their way. There’s going to be some hiccups early on, and that’s just part of what we’re going to grow through.”

As the Rockets enter their 30th season, Hamilton’s vision remains steady: a team built on depth, development, and a culture strong enough to face whatever comes next.