The Kelowna Rockets and the City of Kelowna are pleased to announce that David Rush and Steve Thomson have agreed to lead the 2026 Memorial Cup bid as co-chairs of the campaign team. Both men bring years of experience and dedicated service to Kelowna, making them ideal candidates to spearhead this important initiative.
Rush and Thomson expressed their enthusiasm for the campaign, stating, "We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to leading the team to put the best bid forward to ensure the City and Kelowna Rockets have the greatest chance for a successful bid."
The bid will build on the extensive work done by the committee in preparation for the 2020 Memorial Cup, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If successful in their bid, it would mark the second time that the Rockets would host the prestigious ten-day tournament.
The 2026 Memorial Cup will be the 106th edition of the tournament, which features the playoff champions from the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, in addition to the WHL host team.