FIVE MINUTE MAJOR Memorial Cup wrap and awards

The major junior hockey season is officially over with congratulations to the OHL’s London Knights who clinched the Memorial Cup. The Knights did it with a 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers Sunday night. It’s the Knights’ third Memorial Cup title in franchise history.

With the Tigers’ loss the drought continues for the WHL as no WHL team has emerged victorious since the 2014 Edmonton Oil Kings.

The 2025 Memorial Cup All-Star team was announced on Monday. The team is as follows:

F – Easton Cowan (London Knights - OHL) F – Gavin McKenna (Medicine Tigers - WHL) F – Denver Barkey (London Knights - OHL) D – Sam Dickinson (London Knights - OHL) D – Tanner Molendyk (Medicine Hat Tigers - WHL) G – Austin Elliott (London Knights - OHL)

Maybe with the impending and future expansion, a team could go on a Cinderella run with the right players, but only time will tell.

With that comes the question now of who or what asset the expansion Penticton Vees will acquire from the Tigers for their last expansion draft selection.

With the offseason officially underway, the speculation about the future of the major junior hockey world begins. That includes future expansion, possible new rules and potential competition against other leagues.

Again this brings up the topic of future expansion and hypotheticals on where we could see teams or maybe one day a fourth major junior league. There are plenty of markets in the United States without hockey teams. However, they’re quite spread out to where the drives would be quite long or flights necessary. The CHL doesn’t allow teams to fly until the championship series if the distance is lengthy and the two teams agree. Teams that make the Memorial Cup can fly to that as well.

However there are a few markets that could potentially be in the WHL’s footprint and a few in the OHL and QMJHL’s footprints that could work. Some have been discussed, but no progress has been made. One issue a few markets face are teams that currently call certain cities home. However, that hasn’t necessarily stopped leagues before. The WHL went into Victoria with the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to become the Victoria Royals. Up until that point, the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings had called the city home.

Teams are also continuing to sign players for next season as they build up their rosters.

The CHL also announced an equipment deal back on Wednesday, May 28. Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Under Armour will become the exclusive jersey and socks and exclusive training footwear and apparel partner of the CHL, its member leagues, and 61 Clubs, while Bauer will serve as the official equipment supplier.

The WHL announced on Wednesday the home opening dates for the 2025-26 regular season.

While expansion will help the CHL and growing major junior hockey, the agreement between the CHL and NCAA has also brought a challenge upon teams. Players can now leave their team for the NCAA before they’re 20. Before, players would play in the CHL until they aged out. So, teams now must prepare for the possibility of replacing players earlier than they normally would have.