Kitchener-London jersey mash-up catches eyes, some critics
Posted May 27, 2026 05:10:47 AM.
Last Updated May 27, 2026 06:10:44 AM.
It’s a union no junior hockey fan ever thought they’d see: an Ontario Hockey League jersey, sewn in halves, with one side London Knights green and the other side the bold blue of the Knights’ arch rivals, the Kitchener Rangers.
Then again, few would have predicted the two teams would connect on a trade earlier this season, with former Knights captain Sam O’Reilly and sturdy defenseman Jared Woolley joining the Rangers, and catapulting Kitchener into the Memorial Cup.
Now, the jersey mash-up is creating as much buzz at the tournament in Kelowna as the Kitchener Rangers are.
The idea was the brainchild of Knights fan Clint Lukings, who continued to follow the progress of the former Knights players as they advanced through the OHL playoffs with the Rangers.
“I was watching the scores and I said, ‘oh, they’re going to make it.’ So, I had this idea pop into my head,” Lukings explains. “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a Woolley and an O’Reilly jersey, cut in half, London-Kitchener.”
Enter Lukings’ buddy, Scott Coulter, a Knights sponsor and longtime season ticket holder. Coulter had some connections in London, which paved the way in Kitchener, and suddenly Lukings’ idea was a reality.
“I got a hold of Lana at the Rangers store. She got these (jerseys) made for me and I picked them up Tuesday morning (May 19th) at 9 a.m. sharp,” Coulter said. “I drove back to London and got the other side made, then took it to my buddy Curt at Collins Formal Wear. They split (the jerseys) and put them together for me, all in 36 hours before we left (for the Memorial Cup).”
Now attending his ninth Memorial Cup, Coulter may have never received so much attention. The eye-popping jerseys have sparked radio and television interviews, while creating a viral buzz on social media. Unsurprisingly, some fans scoff at the sight of two rival jerseys stitched together into one.
The friends, who have matching jerseys for their spouses, are taking all the attention in stride. While half the jersey is in Rangers blue, they remain loyal Knights fans. Lukings said they just want to show support to the former players who meant so much to them in London.
“(The trade) was a good thing for the boys. O’Reilly and Woolley were a big part of (the Knights) last year. In Rimouski (at the 2025 Memorial Cup), they were awesome,” Lukings recalls. “Even at the beginning of this year, they were a big part of the team. So, it was sad to see them go, but it’s good to see them here.”
Having just captured their third consecutive Ontario Hockey League championship – a feat accomplished by only one other OHL’er – O’Reilly and Woolley are now part of a Kitchener Rangers team hoping to leave Kelowna with a third Memorial Cup title.
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