The Kitchener Rangers qualified for the Memorial Cup final for the seventh time in franchise history on Tuesday. They'll try to finish the tournament the way their 1982 and 2003 squads did.
KELOWNA, B.C.- History has been made at the 2026 Memorial Cup.
With their victory over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, the Kitchener Rangers have secured a spot in the Memorial Cup final for the seventh time in franchise history.
In doing so, Kitchener has set the CHL record for most visits to the Memorial Cup final by one team. The Rangers entered the tournament tied with the Peterborough Petes, which last qualified for the Memorial Cup final in 1996.
Kitchener has qualified for the final in each of its seven trips to the Memorial Cup. The Rangers have lifted the historic trophy on two occasions, winning in 1982 and 2003. If Kitchener can stay perfect and add another championship to its trophy case, it will join the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, Windsor Spitfires and London Knights as the only teams to capture three Memorial Cups.
The 1982 and 2003 rosters were stacked with talent. The 1982 squad featured future Hall of Famers, such as Scott Stevens and Al MacInnis, while Mike Richards and Gregory Campbell led the 2003 team. Just like this year, the Rangers went perfect in the round-robin back in 2003, while posting a 2-2 record in 1982 before qualifying for the final.
The 2026 Rangers have built a solid team that features some potential future NHL stars. One notable drafted prospect is the Tampa Bay Lightning's Sam O'Reilly, who is competing in his third consecutive Memorial Cup. O'Reilly was with the London Knights in each of the last two seasons and is looking for a second championship before his CHL career is over.
"The city's been great," O'Reilly said after the Rangers' 3-2 win on Tuesday. "The support's been great since I've arrived in Kitchener. Everybody's been great to me and Jared (Woolley), so you know the fans are who we do it for. And the people behind the scenes, and all the staff and players. So we're excited to get going."
O'Reilly and Woolley, a Los Angeles Kings prospect, were brought to Kitchener this season in exchange for defenceman Jacob Xu and 10 draft picks. The move by GM Mike McKenzie has paid off as both have played key roles in the Rangers' qualifying for the Memorial Cup final.
Through three games, O'Reilly has four points while Woolley has a goal and two fights.
This run has also been special for captain Cameron Reid, who has spent his entire OHL career with Kitchener. The Nashville Predators prospect has been a difference-maker so far in the Memorial Cup with five points in three games.
Reid is focused not only on adding a championship to his resume but also on bringing a trophy back to a community that has supported him for the last three years.
"Well, it's everything," Reid said about the record. "It really is everything. I mean, this organization is amazing. Has deep history. For me to be on a team like this, that's going on this deep of a run, and to be a part of a Memorial Cup final, and Memorial Cup in general, and to have these guys, and to be their captain, it's an amazing feeling for me. I'm very, very, very proud to have that role."
The Rangers will get four days off before they hit the ice for the 2026 Memorial Cup final. Their opponent is still to be determined, as none of the other three teams has been eliminated from the tournament. Kitchener has outscored its opposition 14-4 through the round-robin and has only lost twice since the start of the OHL playoffs.
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