Kamloops to host 2023 Memorial Cup

CHL Twitter

The Memorial Cup is returning to Kamloops.

The Canadian Hockey League awarded the 2023 Memorial Cup hosting rights to the Kamloops Blazers on Friday. It'll be the second time the city has hosted the event and first since 1995.

“We are very excited to bring back the Memorial Cup to Kamloops after an almost 30-year hiatus,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie in a news release. “The Blazers and the City of Kamloops put together a first class bid and will be outstanding hosts.”

The Blazers are currently playing in the Western Hockey League's Western Conference final and are projected to be a strong team again next season. The team's successful bid was announced before Game 5 of their series against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Kamloops‼️

See you in 2023 for the #MemorialCup presented by @KiaCanada! pic.twitter.com/ZIapb4mbPw

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 28, 2022

The 2023 tournament will be (fingers crossed) the first time the WHL has hosted the event since Regina in 2018. Kelowna was supposed to host the 2020 Memorial Cup but that was cancelled by the pandemic.

Kelowna, which is just two hours from Kamloops, also wanted the 2023 event. In a bit of an odd statement made Friday night, the Rockets blamed the team's arena, which apparently does not meet CHL standards, for an unsuccessful bid.

Rockets statement regarding the 2023 Memorial Cup: pic.twitter.com/yD8O6KCNmo

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) May 28, 2022

The CHL has not announced dates for the 2023 Memorial Cup but it will presumably be back in its usual late May spot.