Kelowna, BC – The 2026 Memorial Cup stage is set. The tournament consists of the three CHL league champions: Everett Silvertips (WHL), Kitchener Rangers (OHL), Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) and the host team, the Kelowna Rockets. The Vancouver Canucks will have two representatives participating in the tournament, Gabriel Chiarot (Kitchener) and Parker Alcos (Kelowna), who will kick off the tournament head-to-head on Friday at 6 PM local time.

Alcos and the Rockets were given a berth to the Memorial Cup as the host city. Chiarot and the Rangers earned their way there after a successful regular season that translated to a playoff run. Kitchener went on to sweep the Saginaw Spirit in Round 1, beat the Soo Greyhounds 4-1 in Round 2, advanced past the Windsor Spitfires 4-1 in Round 3, and swept the OHL Finals against the Barrie Colts to advance to Kelowna.

Following the Rangers’ first practice in Kelowna on Thursday afternoon, I caught up with Chiarot and ran through the previous year with him that led him to the Memorial Cup. And being a proud Canadian, the opportunity to play in the Memorial Cup is not lost on him.

“Obviously, winning an OHL Championship is big, but the Memorial Cup is like the biggest junior hockey championship tournament of all time,” Chiarot told CanucksArmy. “So it’s super exciting. There’s going to be like lots of eyes on us. It’s just an unreal moment, and super happy to be a part of it.”

As mentioned, Kitchener will take on Kelowna in Game 1 of their tournament on Friday night. And that game might be their first taste of adversity they’ve had since the OHL regular season ended. In all four series, the Rangers never trailed, had home-ice advantage throughout, and as a result, lost just two games. Chiarot credits the belief in the room that has led to all their postseason success.

“I think it’s just like our belief in the room. We know we’re the best team, and we play like it. Just having every guy buy-in to how we play is a big part of our success, and you know, hopefully it can show here in Kelowna.

“We believe we’re the best team. Our goal is to win the tournament. We know we can do that. Obviously, the three other teams are pretty good; respectively, they’ve won their league, so it’s going to be a challenge for us. But the belief in the room is that we can beat any of these teams, so I think we have a good shot of winning it.”

While the belief in the Rangers locker room is high, Chiarot did not begin the season in Kitchener. In late December, the Brampton Steelheads traded Chiarot to the Rangers for a haul of eight draft picks. Chiarot shared that this was the first time he was traded in his hockey career and described the move as “a little different”, but that the organization has treated him well so far.

However, changing jerseys wasn’t the only thing new for Chiarot. Going from a weak team in Brampton, where he played heavy minutes as a top contributor, to a contending Kitchener squad had Chiarot needing to adapt to a new role.

“With Brampton, you know, we had a weaker team. So I was getting more ice time and playing all scenarios,” Chiarot shared. “It kind of shifted when I came [to Kitchener]; we have a deeper lineup. I can play up and down the lineup, but you know, I found a good role during the season; I was getting moved around, but wherever they need me to play, I can play. Maybe the power play time wasn’t there, like the special teams, like four-on-four, whatever. But I think I really thrive on the penalty kill; I’ve always been pretty good there. Just being a reliable forward that they can count on. Not necessarily score big goals all the time, but you know, chip in here and there, and be reliable defensively, is what they count on me for.”

Playing in a top-line role with the Steelheads, Chiarot was off to a good start offensively, scoring 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points in 31 games. After the trade, it took Chiarot some time to get acclimated with his new team, as he would score just five goals and six assists for 11 points in 31 games. But come playoff time, the 19-year-old winger has upped his game. Chiarot has exactly matched his regular season total with the Rangers (five goals and six assists for 11 points) in 18 postseason contests.

“I think my game is really translatable to playoff hockey,” Chiarot said. “Sometimes in the regular season, I know I had a little bit of a slump there coming over to Kitchener, trying to get used to that new role of not being on the top line, how I was in Brampton earlier that year. But, as I said, my game is translatable to playoff hockey, and obviously, it showed in the OHL Finals, like the last series against Barrie was really good for me. You know, doing the things that playoff hockey is all about: being physical, forechecking hard. It’s not all these pretty passing plays and on the rush goals; it’s getting it deep and getting pucks to the net, getting those greasy goals in the greasy areas. That really helps me, and I was happy to contribute to the playoff run.”

But before all of this playoff success, the Canucks drafted Chiarot in the sixth round (175th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. He then participated in the development camp – he shared that he did not beat the Sedins at the Grouse Grind, but still managed to finish middle of the pack – and then did enough to impress at Canucks training camp in Penticton to earn himself a three-year entry-level NHL contract after he was cut from camp.

It was always unlikely a sixth-round pick would make the NHL club out of camp. However, earning an NHL contract out of it gave Chiarot a boost of confidence heading into this OHL season.

“I know it’s not usual for a sixth-rounder to sign right away after my first camp. It was pretty surprising at first, but you know, I think it’s well deserved for myself with how hard I work. It gave me confidence going into the year, having the Vancouver guys help me out, watch me play, give me feedback, is great, and you know, they’ve been nothing but good to me.”

Having the Canucks player development coaches reach out throughout the season and continue to support his development from afar really showed the organization’s belief in Chiarot. Before leaving for the OHL, he shared that the Canucks player development told him not to change any of his game, because it’s not always about point production for players like Chiarot.

“Our exit meeting during main camp, they just told me to continue playing my game, be the power forward that you are, and don’t change the way you play. So I think I did a pretty good job of that this year. Obviously, you know, my point production, I would like that to go up, but you know, it is what it is, being on a new team or whatever. But yeah, just to continue to play my way, be that physical power forward that gets to the net, and you know, do the things that other guys don’t do.

“They’ve told me before, there’s only so many guys in the NHL who can score points, but not everyone can be that [power forward]. They need guys like me, you know, third line, checking forwards that play a specific role and will help a team go far.”

With Chiarot playing out East, it’s hard for Canucks fans to follow his play night in and night out. So, how does Chiarot best describe his game to those who don’t want it as often, and who does he emulate his game after?

“I like to say I’m a physical power forward, you know, go to the areas where other guys don’t want to go to; in the corners, front of the net. I try to display my skills sometimes, but, you know, that doesn’t always happen. Just the little things that, you know, people don’t really recognize all the time, and get those greasy goals, you know, how a power forward would play.”

“I’ve been watching him a lot, actually; Josh Anderson with the Montreal Canadiens. I think he’s exactly like how I play, you know, goes the net hard, forechecks hard, physical forward, reliable defensively in the zone, on the walls and all that. So I think that’s a guy I like to model my game after.”

Canucks fans will have an opportunity to watch Chiarot at the Memorial Cup three times over the next week: Friday, May 22, vs. the Rockets, Monday, May 25, vs. the Silvertips, and May 26 vs. the Saguenéens. All games will be televised on TSN at 6 PM PT.