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Lightning prospect earns Memorial Cup MVP title for Kitchener Rangers
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- Lightning prospect earns Memorial Cup MVP title for Kitchener Rangers
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Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O'Reilly closed out a brilliant junior campaign in style, taking home Memorial Cup MVP honors as he led the Kitchener Rangers to a 6-2 win over the Everett Silvertips in Sunday's 2026 final in Kelowna, British Columbia.
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O'Reilly put up one of his best performances of the tournament in the championship game, recording a goal and three assists. Across four Memorial Cup contests, the 20-year-old forward produced three goals and five assists for eight points, finishing tied for the tournament scoring lead alongside teammate Jack Pridham and Everett forward Matias Vanhanen.
The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy added another major achievement to O'Reilly's season. He became just the fourth player in Canadian Hockey League history to win regular-season MVP, playoff MVP, and Memorial Cup MVP in the same year. The only other players to accomplish the feat are Brad Richards (2000), Corey Perry (2005), and Mitch Marner (2016).
Kitchener secured its third Memorial Cup championship, stacking it alongside titles from 1982 and 2003. The Rangers completed a runaway postseason run, going 20-2 in the playoffs and finishing undefeated at the Memorial Cup. Their path included victories over the host Kelowna Rockets and QMJHL champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens before defeating Everett twice, including the championship game.
The Rangers received goals from Luke Ellinas, Dylan Edwards, Jared Woolley, Pridham, O'Reilly, and Christian Humphreys in the final. Goaltender Christian Kirsch stopped 30 shots. Haeden Ellis contributed two assists.
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Pridham earned the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the tournament's leading scorer, finishing with nine points. He also led all players with five goals.
O'Reilly and defenseman Woolley won their second consecutive Memorial Cup championships after winning with the London Knights in 2025 before being acquired by Kitchener at the January trade deadline. O'Reilly, selected 32nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 NHL Draft and traded to Tampa Bay for Isaac Howard last summer, has already signed an entry-level contract with the Lightning and will compete for a roster spot at training camp next season.
The result also proved to be a milestone for head coach Jussi Ahokas, who became the first European-born coach to win a CHL championship.
