Blazers return to the Sandman as preseason gets underway in Kamloops

Image Credit: Alex Beckett/Fallsway Marketing & Media

Hockey is officially back in Kamloops tonight as the Kamloops Blazers open their 2026 preseason against the Penticton Vees at Sandman Centre.

The puck drops at 7:00 p.m, giving Blazers fans their first opportunity to see the team in game action as the team begins its preparations for the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season.

Tonight marks the beginning of a six-game preseason schedule for Kamloops, with three games coming on home ice. Following tonight's matchup with Penticton, the Blazers will host the Kelowna Rockets on Friday before heading south for a pair of road games against Kelowna and Penticton next week.

The preseason will also provide an early look at a Blazers group that enters the year with plenty of change.

Kamloops will be looking to establish its identity early, with training camp battles underway and players competing for roster spots and roles heading into the regular season.

On the other side, the Vees are also getting their preseason underway tonight. Penticton recently wrapped up its training camp, which included several days of scrimmages before the team trimmed down its preseason roster.

For both clubs, however, the result tonight will take a back seat to the bigger picture.

Preseason is about evaluation.

It is about young players making an impression, veterans getting their legs under them and coaching staff beginning to figure out what their lineups could look like when the games start counting.

For Blazers fans, though, there is one simple takeaway. Hockey is back at the Sandman.