McKenna leads ‘amazing’ calibre of play at 2025 Memorial Cup
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The 2025 Memorial Cup is down to the final two games as the Moncton Wildcats battle the London Knights tonight for the right to advance to the final and face off with Gavin McKenna and the Medicine Hat Tigers in Sunday’s final.
The Tigers, led by star forward McKenna, reached the final after a 3-1 win over the Knights on Tuesday, as they closed their round-robin with a perfect 3-0 record. McKenna, the favourite to be picked first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, had two goals and five points as he led Medicine Hat to the final for the first time since 2007, seeking their first Memorial Cup since 1988.
Canadian Hockey League president Dan MacKenzie is thrilled with the level of hockey on display in Rimouski and is looking forward to seeing the best teams in the CHL battle it out for glory in the coming days.
"The hockey's been amazing. Every game has been basically a one-goal game. Medicine Hat is 3-0, but they could've been 0-3,” MacKenzie said on TSN Radio. “It's just been one of those tournaments where everyone is really good. These four teams were the top four teams at the end of the regular season, so we have the best teams here. The calibre of play has been amazing.
"It's going to be fun to see the next two games. Both will be must-win. It's been a great tournament so far."
Star power will be on full display tonight as Easton Cowan, a top prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs, leads London into the semis against Moncton and Caleb Desnoyers, a projected top pick in the upcoming draft.
London also boasts NHL draft picks Sam O’Reilly (Edmonton Oilers), Sam Dickinson (San Jose Sharks), OHL Playoff MVP Kasper Halttunen (Sharks), Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers), Jacob Julien (Winnipeg Jets), and William Nicholl (Oilers).
MacKenzie says that the elite level of hockey provided by these top prospects has propelled this year’s tournament to new heights.
"Every team here has NHL-drafted players, players that will be drafted in this year's or next year's draft in the first few rounds. The goaltending has been unbelievable. Each of the team's goalies has been really good,” MacKenzie said.
“When you've got the Cowans, the Desnoyers', the [Mathieu] Catafords, those kinds of guys, not to mention McKenna and [Andrew] Basha. You need great defence and great goaltending, and it's definitely been happening.”