Memorial Cup comes to Ayr

Junior hockey's ultimate prize made a stop in Ayr, where fans could get close and personal with silverware from the Kitchener Rangers historic 25/26 season.

Kitchener Rangers fans in Ayr, Ont. got an up-close look at a coveted trophy.

The Memorial Cup came to the small community in North Dumfries on Tuesday thanks to the team’s assistant general manager Michael Zsolt.

“I’ve lived here for more than half a decade. My wife’s family has lived here for generations and it’s an amazing community,” Zsolt told CTV News. “Everyone in Ayr loves their hockey and has cheered for the Rangers the whole way. So, it means a lot to me to be able to bring the cup for everyone to see.”

Despite the threat of a storm, the rain held off as dozens of fans gathered at Cowan Soccer Fields.

Katie Walmsley, a longtime Rangers fan, stopped by with her young daughter to get photos.

“I was actually really upset that I couldn’t see it when they had the parade. So, knowing that it was going to be close to my community, it was really exciting for me,” she said.

Kevin Fancy was also at the fields to see the cup with his young son.

“[The Rangers] do so much for the community. It’s amazing all the time,” he said.

The Memorial Cup has made quite the journey since the Rangers won it at the end of May in Kelowna, B.C.

It was brought back to Kitchener in time for the team’s celebratory parade and then was taken to Kingston for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft this past weekend.

Zsolt was then tasked with transporting it to Ayr.

“I happily volunteered because I knew no one else had something specific planned so I could bring it here. Lots of pressure, lots of looking at my car to see if it’s in the trunk and making sure my car is safe,” he joked.

The Memorial Cup was displayed in Ayr beside the Wayne Gretzky Trophy won in the Western Conference championship and J. Ross Robertson Cup for the OHL title.

“You have to win the Wayne Gretzky, then the J. Ross just to qualify for the Memorial Cup, and each one of them meant a lot to the team to win. But, obviously bringing home the national title is the most special,” Zsolt said.

Up next, the Memorial Cup will make its way back to Kitchener where the Rangers will host their development camp for their newly drafted prospects.