The 2026 Memorial Cup kicks off on May 22nd.
After a long CHL season, the Memorial Cup in Kelowna officially begins on Friday, May 22, 2026. The four teams competing in this year's tournament are the Kelowna Rockets, the Everett Silvertips, the Kitchener Rangers and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. From a Vancouver Canucks perspective, two prospects will be hitting the ice at Prospera Place over the next two weeks in Parker Alcos and Gabriel Chiarot.
The Memorial Cup is also a great opportunity to view some prospects ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. Overall, there are some intriguing players who Vancouver could end up drafting at the end of June. Here is a look at a draft-eligible prospect from each team at the 2026 Memorial Cup.
Matias Vanhanen- Everett Silvertips
Matias Vanhanen has lit up the WHL during his rookie season. The 18-year-old Finnish winger followed up his 87-point regular season with 12 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games en route to a WHL championship. A re-entry in the draft, Vanhanen will be heavily relied on by the Everett Silvertips throughout the Memorial Cup.
Harrison Boettiger- Kelowna Rockets
If the Canucks want to add another goaltender to their prospect pool, then Harrison Boettiger may be their guy. The 18-year-old went 25-10-5 during the regular season in his rookie season while posting a save percentage of .911. Ranked 10th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting, Boettiger is projected to be the Kelowna Rockets' starter when the Memorial Cup begins.
Harrison Boettiger of the Kelowna Rockets (Photo Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets/WHL)Alexander Bilecki- Kitchener Rangers
Shifting over to the OHL, one draft-eligible prospect to keep an eye on is Kitchener Rangers defender Alexander Bilecki. Listed at 6'2", 181 lbs, the left-shot defenceman had a successful post-season with 11 points in 18 games. Bilecki is ranked 49th by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters and could be available for the Canucks in the third round.
Liam Lefebvre- Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Lastly, Liam Lefebvre had an impressive playoff run for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, as he finished with five goals and 12 points in 20 games. Listed at 6'3", 203 lbs, the 19-year-old is a right-shot center who isn't afraid to play a physical brand of hockey. Lefebvre has already committed to the NCAA for next season, where he will join the University of Vermont.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News