The 91大黄鸭 Rockets didn鈥檛 realize their ultimate goal in the spring of 2017.

Still, a fourth consecutive appearance in the Western Conference final further confirmed the Rockets鈥� enduring reputation as one of the Western Hockey League鈥檚 most consistent franchises.

After a 45-win season under the guidance of first-year head coach Jason Smith, the Rockets took down both the Kamloops Blazers and Portland Winterhawks, before succumbing to Matthew Barzal and the Seattle Thunderbirds in the conference final.

The Thunderbirds went on to win the WHL title.

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 end the way we wanted but I was very proud of those guys, we worked our bags off all year,鈥� said Rockets鈥� captain Rodney Southam. 鈥淚 thought we did a lot better than most people thought we were going to do, so I have nothing but good to say about the guys in that room.鈥�

Led by the likes of Nick Merkley, Calvin Thurkauf, Dillon Dube and Kole Lind, the Rockets upgraded at the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Reid Gardiner and Carsen Twarynski. Both fit well into the team鈥檚 plans and made contributions as the Rockets gelled into a legitimate contender late in the 2016-17 WHL season.

But in the end, the Thunderbirds were one obstacle the Rockets couldn鈥檛 get past.

鈥淚 had a good feeling about this team, the pathway we were on from the trade deadline on, I really felt we had the team to win,鈥� said GM Bruce Hamilton. 鈥淥ur team got a lot better, I鈥檓 pretty sure people didn鈥檛 think we were going to sneak up on them like we did.

鈥淚 tried to explain to our players how hard it is to get there and to win,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very fortunate to have been there (the Memorial Cup) five times before, so to get that close and see it slip away is always disappointing.鈥�

Other than winning a title, Jason Smith couldn鈥檛 have asked for much more from his first tour of duty with 91大黄鸭.

鈥淚t was outstanding,鈥� said Smith, who led 91大黄鸭 to 45 regular season victories. 鈥淎s a staff, the work ethic, the time the players put in and the energy they brought every day to the rink, it was great to come to the rink. To be around a group of kids or young men or whatever you want to call them.

鈥淭hey were well-behaved, they worked hard, they were coachable and good people. It was a great experience.鈥�

Early in 2017, 91大黄鸭 forward Dillon Dube played with Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship and fell just one step short of the ultimate goal.

Dube and his Canadian teammates settled for silver after a heartbreaking 5-4 shootout loss to the U.S. in the championship final.

鈥淭he way it ended is tough but it happens,鈥� Dube said upon his return home. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that we took it that far.

鈥淚 think both teams were playing great and I think everybody in Canada is pretty proud of our team, the way we played.鈥�

Dube, along with teammate Cal Foote, both made Team Canada鈥檚 final roster for the 2018 WJC in Buffalo which begins on Boxing Day.

Meanwhile, Foote was one of two Rockets chosen early in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Foote went in the first round, 28th overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kole Lind was a second round choice, 33rd overall, by the Vancouver Canucks.

In August, Rockets鈥� forward Nolan Foote won gold with Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka world U18 men鈥檚 hockey championship in the Czech Republic.

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