The Canadian Hockey League’s gold standard is coming to Victoria.
The reigning Memorial Cup champion London Knights will make a rare trip west this fall, meeting the Victoria Royals in a two-game pre-season showcase. Dubbed the “Clash of the Kingdoms,” the series will be played Sept. 4 at 7:05 p.m. and Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
The matchup will mark the first time a WHL club has hosted an OHL team outside of the Memorial Cup tournament – an unusual early-season crossover between two of the Canadian Hockey League’s three circuits.
“Hosting this series in Victoria will create an outstanding atmosphere for our players and fans while highlighting the level of talent across the Canadian Hockey League,” said Royals vice-president of hockey operations Joey Poljanowski.
Poljanowski began his junior hockey career with the Knights organization. The Royals executive worked in London, Ont. from 2015 to 2019 before eventually making his way west to Victoria.
“This event will give our community a great platform to celebrate junior hockey and experience something truly unique. We’re looking forward to welcoming the Knights for a very entertaining series.”
London arrives with one of the most decorated resumes in junior hockey.
The Knights are three-time Memorial Cup champions, most recently capturing the national title in 2025, and have built a reputation as a pipeline for NHL talent.
Over the years, London has produced stars such as Corey Perry, Patrick Kane, Dino Ciccarelli, Darryl Sittler, Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk.
Behind the benches, the series will also feature a heavyweight coaching matchup between two former NHLers. Knights head coach Dale Hunter and Royals bench boss James Patrick each played more than 1,200 NHL games before turning to coaching.
Hunter’s younger brother, Mark, is the vice-president and general manager of the Knights. He also has a notable NHL pedigree, playing 628 games after being drafted two spots ahead of Patrick in the 1981 NHL Draft.
“We are excited to visit Victoria in September,” said Knights vice-president and general manager Mark Hunter.
“It will be a unique challenge for our players and staff facing off against the Royals, a team we haven’t played before. It will be a great way for our players and staff to bond heading into the 2026–27 regular season.”
The exhibition series continues a recent trend of the Royals experimenting with unique pre-season experiences. Last September, the club hosted its “Island Hockey Fest,” with pre-season games in Mill Bay and Duncan.
Tickets for the “Clash of the Kingdoms” series go on sale March 18 at 11 a.m.