West Kelowna Warriors ready for another season of BCHL hockey, host Cranbrook Bucks in season opener

After a first-round exit in the 2026 BCHL Playoffs, the West Kelowna Warriors are ready to return to the ice with eyes on back-to-back regular season titles.

​Despite finishing first in the 2025-26 league standings with a 40-11-3 record, the Warriors were eliminated after just five games against the eighth-seeded Cranbrook Bucks, unable to find the scoring touch that made them such a dominant force from September to March.

​Newly promoted head coach Wyatt Head tells Black Press Media the team has been hungry all offseason to come back and prove themselves after the first-round upset back in April. And they got that opportunity for revenge as they beat the Bucks 5-3 on opening night, Friday, Sept. 18.

​“The opening game against Cranbrook has been circled on the calendar since we saw it,” said Head following the pre-season.

​“We took that (playoff loss) personally. We controlled most of those playoff games, but we just didn’t play desperate enough.”

​The Warriors will have eight returning players from last year’s squad, including Olivier Chan, who hopes to help his team get off to a strong start this season.

​He believes the way the team ended the season last year wasn’t a true example of what the Warriors are capable of, which is solid hockey from end to end.

​“We didn’t really have the ending we wanted last year, so I’m happy we have a lot of returning guys who want to win and who still maybe have some pent-up anger and aggression,” said Chan.

​The Warriors forward netted 13 goals and 37 points last season, but hopes to take another step in 2026-27. This year, Chan will be reunited with his younger brother Emmanuel, who made the team after the final round of roster cuts.

​Together, the two brothers plan to bring lifelong chemistry to the ice, which, if all goes according to plan, should create an exciting duo that can generate offence and put the puck in the back of the net.

​“We’ve played with each other every other year since I was 12, so hopefully we can get that chemistry going again this year,” said Olivier.

​Coming from Montreal, Quebec, Emmanuel echoes those feelings and is excited to bring his talent to the BCHL alongside his brother.

​Despite not being twins, Emmanuel believes he and his brother can play a similar game to Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who once tore up the NHL as a dynamic duo for the Vancouver Canucks, winning back-to-back scoring titles in 2010 and 2011.

​“It’s like a bit of twin telepathy, even though we’re not twins. We just complement each other. He’s more of a playmaker, and I’m more of a finisher,” explained Emmanuel.

​“We live together, we train together, we do everything together… We know each other’s tendencies on the ice and off the ice.”

​Head plans to start the season with the two brothers playing together on the same line, with returning forward Kelsen Podworny rounding out the trio.

​After posting 21 points in 46 games last season – including 10 goals – Podworny found himself off to a hot start in the pre-season this year, potting three goals for a hat trick performance against the Vernon Vipers. Olivier picked up two assists on two of those goals, while the trio connected on the hat trick goal that led the Warriors to a 5-2 win.

​“Starting with Olivier this year makes me really excited,” explained the young power forward. “I’m really excited to test it out this week because those two are definitely special players.”

​Podworny, just like any successful hockey player, wants to improve his game and be a big contributor this season. He tells Black Press Media that he’s worked hard on the mental side of his game.

​“I came in last year thinking I was just going to score goals and be that guy, but I quickly learned I needed to work on my two-way game and my mental game,” said Podworny.

Thrilled for Podworny’s pre-season hat trick against the Vipers, coach Head is excited to see what Podworny can do across the 2026-27 season, and he thinks playing him with the Chan brothers can help elevate his game to the next level.

​“I love Kelsen as a person and as a player. I think there’s a lot of untapped potential there. We’re going to start the year with the three of them together – a couple of guys that can make plays with a guy that’s a shooter,” explained Head.

​Head believes Warrior fans are in for an exciting season filled with entertaining hockey, and is encouraging fans to come support the team.

The Warriors have already kicked off the season with a pair of wins against Cranbrook and Langley. Now, the team heads on the road for a four-game stretch against Prince George (Sept. 25), Vernon (Sept. 26), Cranbrook (Sept. 29) and Trail (Sept. 30).

Tickets for home games are available on the West Kelowna Warriors website.