More than two months after the Kitchener Rangers hoisted the Canadian Hockey League’s ultimate prize, the official Memorial Cup championship hats finally arrived at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Thursday. Supply chain delays kept fans waiting for weeks, but the delay did little to dampen spirits. Dozens of diehard supporters lined up hours ahead of the 4 p.m. store opening at Door 22. The queue wrapping down the sidewalk. Equipped with lawn chairs, umbrellas, books and board games, fans made a day out of the long wait. Friends David Bowman and Jake Oswald were the first in line, after arriving at 11:30 a.m. “I brought my lunch,” Bowman said. “We brought games to play,” Oswald added, noting they didn’t mind the wait because they would do anything to support the Rangers. Tyson Macdonald, who waited about 90 minutes with a book to pass the time, said the delay was worth it. “Excited to be able to get my hands on merch,” Macdonald said. “It’s been a long time coming, but happy to be able to support the team.” Inside, staff had about 1,500 hats available for purchase at $55 each, with a limit of five per person. Local superfan David Mello, known around The Aud as “Flag Man” for waving his flag at every home game, was among the first through the doors. He picked up a hat for himself and one for a friend who sits in his section during the regular season. “I’m glad they won the championship. Well deserved,” Mello said. For others, the championship gear carried a deeper meaning. Waterloo resident Bob Hass bought his maximum limit of five hats. “Some of them are going to go towards a benefit for my grandson [who] is fighting cancer,” Hass said. The hat sale at The Aud runs until 8 p.m. Thursday. Team staff said the hats will not be available for online purchase until additional inventory becomes available.
