It's been 10 years!
Ten years since the Kelowna Rockets made their first ever appearance at the Memorial Cup.
The venue was the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City, the site of the 2003 event. It  featured the WHL champion Kelowna Rockets, the Quebec Remparts, Kitchener Rangers and Hull Olympiques.
The Rockets represented the WHL after a six game series win over the Red Deer Rebels. 
That season the WHL champions were led by 20 year-old Jesse Schultz (pictured right), a 53 goal man during the regular season who was an impact player in the post season (12 goals - 16 assists = 28 points in 19 playoff games) where he was named MVP.
The Rockets roster also included Josh Gorges, Shea Weber, Cam Paddock, Mike Card, Duncan Keith and Blake Comeau.
That's right, seven players (Schultz included) from the 2003 team would see time in the NHL. They were that ...

• The Portland Winterhawks are one win away from advancing to the Western Hockey League final. With a three games to one lead on the Kamloops Blazers, the Hawks can advance to the league final for a second consecutive year with a win in game five. How many teams can brag about that? Unfortunately people don’t remember who advances to the league final, only the team that hoists the Ed Chynoweth Cup over their head.
• It has been interesting to hear the comments coming from the Blazers coaches in their Western Conference final series with Portland. It sounds so familiar to what the Kelowna Rockets were saying in round two. The Blazers need to be more disciplined and their best players need to be their best players. It is a phrase used far too often, but it is so true. If your elite players fail to hit the score sheet your ...

Let's face it; you need a little luck or good fortune along the way to win aWHLchampionship. Oh sure, good goaltending, timely scoring and character players need to emerge to win the Ed ChynowethCup, but if the 'Hockey God's' aren't looking upon you favorably you are severely hooped. Use the Kelowna Rockets as an example. In the 2013 playoffs, the Rockets suffered far too many obstacles in order to obtain the ultimate prize. The injury to captain Colton Sissons in the second last game of the regular season was a back breaker. Many fans wondered why it had to happen late in the season and why to the teams’ heart and soul player? And why was the injury so significant? Why did Carter Rigbyand Mitch Wheaton have to suffer shoulder injuries that were so serious, neither could play in the first round of the playoffs? Why did MacKenzie Johnston get ...