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...

Riley Stadel always knew his hockey career would come to an end - just not this soon. Now 29, the Kelowna Rockets alumnus and Surrey, B.C. native made it official on April 15, announcing his retirement from professional hockey in a heartfelt Instagram post. "That's all she wrote, I have made the decision to retire...

Dan Bylsma's dismissal as head coach of the Seattle Kraken comes with an intriguing backstory. In the winter of 2015, the 54-year-old spent a few days with the Kelowna Rockets as a guest coach. At the time, he was in between jobs after being let go by the Pittsburgh Penguins in June 2014, though he remained on their pa...

Six former Rockets will represent five different NHL teams, so the Kelowna Rockets will be well represented in the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Leon Draisaitl is back in the playoffs with the Edmonton Oilers, as is Jamie Benn with his Dallas Stars. Josh Morrissey and Luke Schenn will suit up for the W...

While the 2024-25 season on the ice was a challenging one for the Kelowna Rockets, with just 18 wins and only three coming after January 10th, there were bright spots - especially for three players eyeing the 2025 NHL Draft. Forwards Hayden Paupanekis, Dawson Gerwing, and defenseman Will Sharpe all saw their draft stoc...

Kelowna Rockets press release: The Western Hockey League announced today that the Kelowna Rockets have been granted the third pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft following the completion of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery. The Rockets also hold the 20th overall pick, which was acquired from the Spokane Chiefs in ...

It isn't urgent, but it's definitely something the Kelowna Rockets will address this summer. At the moment, the hockey club has bigger priorities, like making moves, by trading draft picks at the WHL Prospects Draft, before zeroing in on a new head coach. With the Western Hockey League draft lottery on Thursday, that...