KELOWNA, BC – The Kitchener Rangers are 2026 Memorial Cup Champions. The Rangers captured the Canadian Hockey League’s ultimate prize on Sunday night, defeating the WHL Champion Everett Silvertips 6-2 at Prospera Place in Kelowna.
With the victory, the Rangers have hoisted the Memorial Cup for the third time in franchise history, adding to their previous championships in 2003 and 1982.
“So much going through my head. This is everything, all of the guys and all of the support we’ve had all season long,” said Rangers Captain Cameron Reid following the historic victory. “As a Canadian kid, the Memorial Cup is just like the Stanley Cup, so this is awesome.”
The Silvertips came out firing in the opening frame, outshooting Kitchener 15-7, but goaltender Christian Kirsch stood tall to keep the Silvertips at bay. The Rangers made the most of their offensive opportunities, carrying a 2-1 lead into the first intermission thanks to crucial markers from Luke Ellinas and Dylan Edwards.
Kitchener tightened their grip on the game in the middle frame. Defenceman Jared Woolley found the back of the net, pushing the Rangers ahead 3-1 heading into the second intermission and putting the Memorial Cup squarely in their sights.
The Rangers put the game out of reach immediately in the final frame. Starting the third period on a two-man advantage, Kitchener’s power play went to work as Jack Pridham and Sam O’Reilly struck for back-to-back goals to establish a commanding 5-1 lead. Christian Humphreys later deposited the puck into an empty net to seal the 6-2 victory and kick-off the championship celebration.
The championship victory caps off a dominant 4-0 run at the tournament. The Rangers opened their Memorial Cup quest with a 5-0 shutout against the host Kelowna Rockets, followed by a 6-2 win over Everett in round-robin play. They then edged the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens 3-2 to secure a bye directly to Sunday’s championship final, where they downed the Silvertips once again.
Tournament Highlights and Historic Milestones
The Rangers’ 2026 Memorial Cup run was defined by several historic individual and team performances:
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MVP Honours for O’Reilly: Forward Sam O’Reilly took home the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the Memorial Cup MVP. O’Reilly posted a goal and three assists in the final, finishing the tournament with eight points (3-5–8) in just four games. He joins elite company as only the fourth player in CHL history—following Brad Richards (Rimouski, 2000), Corey Perry (London, 2005), and Mitch Marner (London, 2016)—to win MVP honours in the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup in the same year.
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Back-to-Back Champions: O’Reilly and teammate Jared Woolley achieved a rare CHL milestone, hoisting the Memorial Cup for the second straight year after winning with the London Knights last spring. They are just the third and fourth players in history to accomplish this feat, joining Noah Dobson (Acadie-Bathurst 2018 & Rouyn-Noranda 2019) and Robert Savard (Cornwall 1981 & Kitchener 1982).
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European Trailblazers: Head Coach Jussi Ahokas made history as the first European Head Coach to ever win the Memorial Cup. Meanwhile, standout netminder Christian Kirsch became just the third European goaltender selected in the CHL Import Draft to win the tournament. Kirsch anchored the Rangers’ defence, making 30 saves in the championship final and finishing the tournament with an exceptional 1.33 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage.
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Scoring Machine: Forward Jack Pridham led the Memorial Cup in goal-scoring, netting five goals and finding the back of the net in all four of Kitchener’s victories.
A Season to Remember
The Memorial Cup victory is the crowning achievement of an unforgettable 2025-26 campaign for the Rangers. Kitchener finished atop the Western Conference standings in the regular season with a stellar 47-14-5-2 record. Their dominance continued into the postseason, where they compiled a 16-2 playoff record, ultimately sweeping the Barrie Colts to claim the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the fifth time in franchise history.
CHL President Dan MacKenzie presented the Memorial Cup to Rangers captain Cameron Reid following the win as the Blueshirts celebrated before a well-travelled group of loyal Rangers supporters. The tournament was well-attended throughout, with Kelowna serving as excellent hosts.
The Memorial Cup presented by Kubota shifts to Guelph for 2027 as the Storm prepare to welcome the Canadian Hockey League’s elite class to the Royal City next May.
