12-08-2025
Kitchener Rangers prepare to make bid for Memorial Cup
The Kitchener Rangers team bus is seen parked outside the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on September 2, 2024. (Shelby Knox/CTV News)
Two local Ontario Hockey League teams will be competing to host a major tournament.
A spokesperson for the Kitchener Rangers confirmed the team's intention to make a bid for the 2027 Memorial Cup to CTV News on Monday.
The Memorial Cup is one of the most sought-after trophies in junior hockey. It was first awarded in 1919 to honour people who had died fighting in the First World War. Each year the top teams from the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and the host team compete for the cup. The tournament is typically held during two weeks in May and attracts thousands of fans from across the country.
The Guelph Storm has already announced their plans to also pursue the hosting duties as the city prepares to celebration its 200th anniversary during that same year. City council has already thrown their support behind the storm, pledging a one-time grant of $600,000 if the team's bid is successful.
The Guelph Storm has never won the tournament, but the Kitchener Rangers claimed victory in 1982 and 2003.
