That classic line from Canadian rock legends Trooper - "We're here for a good time, not a long time" - could've been written specifically for Leon Draisaitl's brief but memorable stint with the Kelowna Rockets. Picture it: January 6, 2015. Kelowna International Airport. Cameras flashing, reporters buzzing, Ro...

WHL press release: Kelowna Rockets forward Carson Wetsch has won the Dayna Brons Honorary Award. The recognition is presented annually by Hockey Gives Blood to recognize a player who exhibits outstanding dedication to patients who rely on blood and stem cell products in Canada. "It's been a blast doing this for t...

Take a couple of weeks off, and what happens? While I was eating smoked meat in Montreal and pretending to speak perfect French in Quebec City, the junior hockey world exploded with off-ice drama. Even if you're just a casual fan, it's been impossible to miss. And if you're a Rockets fan like we are, there's a lot to d...

Things are heating up at Prospera Place, and not just because it's summer. The City of Kelowna is moving full steam ahead with a series of major upgrades aimed at enhancing the fan experience and getting the arena ready for the spotlight of the 2026 Memorial Cup. Some of the key pieces of equipment arrived this week, ...

Kelowna Rockets press release: The Kelowna Rockets are pleased to announce that the club will open the 2025-26 WHL regular season on home ice against the Spokane Chiefs on Friday, September 19, at 7:05 PM at Prospera Place. This marks just the third time in franchise history that the Rockets will face Spokane in a home...

There's an old saying: If you don't ask, you don't get. The Kelowna Rockets didn't just ask, they pushed, pursued, and pulled off one of the most intriguing offseason moves in the WHL so far. The Rockets acquired defenseman Mazden Leslie last week from the Vancouver Giants, a 20-year-old with elite offensive upside and...

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'...

Rockets press release: The Kelowna Rockets have acquired Mazden Leslie, a 2005-born right-shot defenseman, from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for a conditional 2028 first-round pick and a conditional 2026 third-round pick (Seattle). A native of Lloydminster, Alberta, Leslie brings elite offensive production from the...

Kelowna Press Release: The Kelowna Rockets are pleased to announce the hiring of Kohen Willis Dengler as the team's new Director of Communications & Social Media. A native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Willis Dengler brings a dynamic background in marketing, communications, and business operations. Most recently, ...

Josh Gorges might be 40 now, and sure, his hair is significantly greyer than it was back in 2004 - but don't let that fool you. When he talks about the Memorial Cup, those goosebumps come rushing back like he's still wearing the Kelowna Rockets jersey, leading the charge as captain. At the official Memorial Cup 2026 he...

The Western Hockey League didn't feature a single American-born goaltender among its 22 teams during the 2024-25 season. That's about to change this fall when 17-year-old Harry Boettinger, born in Denver, Colorado, suits up for the Kelowna Rockets. Boettinger was part of the return package in the January trade that se...

You'd expect absolute chaos. The kind you see on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange - people yelling over each other, flailing arms, papers flying in every direction, maybe someone dramatically throwing a chair. At the very least, a coffee gets spilled. But step inside the Kelowna Rockets' war room at the...

From a farming community of just 500 people, 15-year-old Will Kelts is emerging as one of Western Canada's most promising young hockey players. The Consort, Alberta native, was selected 20th overall by the Kelowna Rockets in Wednesday's first round of the Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft. The quiet, confiden...

Rockets Press Release: The Kelowna Rockets had a busy second day of the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft, as the Rockets made eight selections on the day, including a pair of picks in the second round. With their first pick of the second round, with the 26th pick, Kelowna selected defenceman Remy Koch out of Edge ...

Two seasons ago, the Kelowna Rockets were in the position of giving up talent. Fast forward to today, and they've turned the tables - pulling off a major acquisition before the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft even began. In January 2023, Kelowna traded away its captain, Colton Dach, to the eventual WHL champion Seattle Th...

Rockets Press Release: The Kelowna Rockets announced today that they have acquired 2006-born forward Carson Wetsch and a conditional second-round pick in the 2028 WHL Prospects Draft in exchange for 2008-born defenceman Ben MacBeath, a first-round pick in 2027, as well as a second and fourth round pick in the 2025 WHL ...

Marcus Pacheco used to be the kind of teammate you'd 'go to war with.' Now? He's the guy who 'shows up in enemy colors, smiles, and casually ruins your season.' Since his move to the Medicine Hat Tigers, Pacheco has become Public Enemy Number 1 among his former Kelowna Rockets teammates. The Tigers - Eastern Conference...

The Western Hockey League Prospects Draft will have a new look next week. The first round is set for Wednesday, coinciding with the expansion draft for the league's newest team, the Penticton Vees. Rounds two through to the end of the draft will follow on Thursday, alongside the U.S. Priority Draft. Despite the signifi...